Child of twisted Destiny
by Nelo Akuma
Summary: WITCH/D&D. All her life she has been alone; no friends, no love. She had to steal to survive, hiding from the Humans. Her Birth was her curse, her Blood her bane. Will it ever change? Will she ever find Peace? Maybe even..... Love? Will/? and others
1. Prologue

Here I lie, drawing my last breaths as my body shakes with pain. I should not complain; my life has been filled with happiness... even though it took years for me to find it...

Let me tell you a story young ones... a story of a young girl named Will....

She was born into the world of Toril, world of many thought to be the center of the Planes of Existence. This world.... it is a strange one indeed. Why I hear you ask? Well, Abeir-Toril is divided by the Class System.

.... No, I do not mean social classes though this is also the case. I meant the Classes of Profession. Upon birth each being is bound to certain Classes, often greatly influenced by their parents' Classes. Classes are.... like jobs, a profession in this war torn world.

You want examples for Classes? Well, there are too many to name them all but I give you a few generic Classes: for one there would be the Fighter, a master of melee and armed combat of all kinds; another would be the Cleric, priest of their Deity and healer of the wounded with the power to slay the Undead; Wizards... the masters of Arcane Power, wielding it like it was made for them; Rogues, disciples of the unseen and underhanded arts.

This is just a VERY small selection of the most basic Classes. In fact there are more than even I know of and I am very old, even by my races standard.

*COUGH COUGH* Don't worry young ones, I am not yet due to Death, these old bones still have some power in them.

But I am digress. You wish to hear the story, do you not? The story of young Will..... a story of pain, loneliness and hardship...but at the same time of strong friendship, fierce loyalty and even.... great love....

Will's life was determined to be one that many would crumble under. Few before her had walked down her path of Destiny and prevailed throughout it.... Even young Will's mentor, teacher and.... father figure had been unable to fulfill what she did. He came close but then... he fell from grace... only to wait for centuries to pass, patiently searching for the Child, the Child that would carry on his legacy and burden.

Through years and years Will endured all the obstacles set before her by the Gods that are, always hoping for things to better.... but knowing that it would not be.... But after times it came to be; things looked up.... only to come crashing down on her again.... But this time she was not alone; she had friends, teachers and a love that pulled her up again. She became one of the greatest in the lands of Fearûn though many people will never know it was because of her and her companions that they still live their rather peaceful life.

Will.... she met so many people in her long life.... so many that wanted to see her dead... but in the end they all failed. Her protectors watched over her, even if she never found out until they unveiled themselves. Her friends stood strong by her side, facing danger with her that would have sent lesser minds into chaos.

She met Gods, fought Gods and defeated them utterly. She faced off armies on her own and emerged victorious over the blood soaked fields of slaughter. She led armies into victory, her mere presence installing courage in her men and despair in her foes. She faced beings of all Planes, creatures of untold power and monsters beyond your small minds.

For a time she was all alone in this world, abandoned by her blood and cursed with her birth. But when she did find friends they were lasting as long as they lived.

In the end she had outlived them all besides her love. Everyone had died before her and her love lay with her on her deathbed, close to Death as well. They would leave this world together and either rise or fall together. But belying their age they still looked like they did decades ago, looked like they were on their prime. But Death was present in their eyes as they lay with tangled limbs in their bed, embraced in each other and awaiting their time to come to an end.

Neither did regret their coming deaths; they had lived a good life and left their legacy to generations to come. Others would come; others who did deeds in the name of the Gods, even if they did not know it; other that would save this and other worlds from certain doom. Their time was over; they had done all that was asked of them and had lived the peaceful life they deserved. It was time to step aside, for new heroes and heroins to rise to glory; they would be forgotten, lost in the turns and twists of time.

In their last hours they both lay in bed, drowning in memories as they felt their time draw closer and closer. They shared memories, enjoying how things had turned out in the end. And then.... they resigned their souls and silently awaited for Death to seize them.

Let me tell you a story young ones; a story of Pain and Friendship; of Death and Love.

Listen well for this is my story;

for I am Will.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

first real chapter coming in one week, 1st February. more infos/details in the first chapter.

Nelo Akuma


	2. The Start of a long Journey

Good Day Ladies and Gentlemen.

this is it now, the first real chapter of 'Child of twisted Destiny'.

first of all i have to thank XV-Dragon and his story 'The Shunned One'. his story is a real piece of art as well as is the trigger that gave me the idea to write this story. we have similar starting perspectives, i am man enough to say that SOME of our current ideas MIGHT be the same but i really try not to just steal his ideas. if you haven't read his story go check it now. don't question me. **DO IT!**

now more about this story: in a nutshell i just transported most of the WITCH cast into the world Abeir-Toril, a world withing the DnD multi-verse, more precisely in the lands of Faerûn. if you're no hardcore DnD player you still have nothing to fear, i TRY to explain every term to the best of my ability.

If you couldn't tell from the Prologue already this story will be Will-centric, showing her struggles in life. there will be a couple of OCs Will will meet but most of them are not really of world shattering importance. there are a few big and VERY important OCs. most of them will seem like Gods in their actions compared to most other people but that is because those OCs are actually characters from my own gaming groups, meaning they are of very high Epic levels. Will and her friends WILL reach this power towards the end and most of the OCs will be surpassed in power.

i will not ALWAYS play 100 percent by the rules set in the source books. i will stay within them most of the times but at other times i will bend them close to the point of breaking. for those amongst you who know D&D and have some source books i say that i am going by 3rd/3.5 Edition. some things from 2nd Edition might still be there because they fit my needs.

if you have questions i will answer them as long as it won't spoil any part of the plot or other things to come.

now to answer **Darkness-Lightness**'s question: NO this will NOT be like 'The Shunned One'! while i was and probably will be in contact with XV-Dragon i am no thief. as i said he INSPIRED this story, so some things MIGHT seem very alike. one thing i will use as an example: the Youth Games in XV's current chapters. i will have a similar tournement LATER in the story but the way i have it planned is very different from his (read: no labyrinth, only for Arcane casters, no bronze/silver medals to name just a few).

now just a little note for those who plan to cry 'cheese', 'beard' and 'uber' later: i. don't. care. if you think people grow 'over the top' go scream at the creators of DnD for giving me these tools.

a word about **UPDATES:** updates will come on the 1st and 15th of every month. not before, not later (unless i am like... lying in hospital with broken arms and legs).

enough of my ramblings now, enjoy the start of 'Child of twisted Destiny'.

----- Destiny commands all-----

It was a busy day in the streets of the small village of Grayfall. It was market day and the market place in the center of the village was humming like a bee hive. People were talking, bartering and simply enjoying the warm late afternoon sun while doing some shopping. But one figure stood out from the crowd to the able observer.

The figure stood barely at 4'7'', wearing an oversized traveling cloak of brown color, the hood pulled deep into its face. Small sandals skidded over the dusty road as the figure slipped from shadow to shadow without being noticed.

After a few minutes of weaving through the mass of people and booths the figure stopped in the shadows between two booths. Slowly the folds of the cloak parted, revealing a small, slender hand. Even in the shadows one could see the ashen gray skin, being a dead give-away of the figures heritage. The hand suddenly lashed out several times and each time disappeared in the folds of the cloak for a second.

No one took notice of the young pickpocket as it went over its deeds and soon the figure weaved back into the crowd unnoticed. Slowly the figure moved away from the city center and headed towards the north of the village. As soon as the crowd of people grew less thick the figure picked up its pace, first at a slight jog only to break into a full out sprint minutes later.

The hood of the cloak slipped back slightly, revealing a few strands of dirty, blood red hair. The figure's breathing became more heavy and anyone who was even only slightly skilled in reading people could see her thoughts, 'Just a bit more.'

A few minutes of outright running the figure reached the tree line and swiftly rushed into the thick forest that surround Grayfall, hiding in the twilight cast by the ancient trees. The figure slowed down and regained its breath as it stalked through the woods with practiced ease.

Soon the figure reached large tree, its trunk easily 12 feet in diameter. Casting looks left and right the figure knelt down and felt on the forest floor for something under the thick layer of fallen leafs. Seconds later and part of the tree bark swung open like a door, revealing that it was hollowed out. Swiftly the figure moved inside and the tree bark closed again, leaving no trace at all of what just transpired.

The figure let out a deep sigh and threw back the hood of the cloak, revealing its features to the half-light. The person was distinctly female, the slim face, big eyes and small nose being dead give-aways. Long, pointed ears peeked out of dirty red hair, revealing the elven heritage of the girl. The ashen gray skin stood in strong contrast to her hair and her brown eyes that held just a tint of golden shade. Anyone in the realms could decipher what race she was just from looking at her skin: she was a Drow, a dark Elf.

That fact alone made her life that much harder. Her race was shunned and hated by the people living on the surface, for them it was cause enough that they would do things to her no child should experience. The only cause why she hadn't been raped and then killed was the fact that she had yet to grow into a woman physically as well as the fact that she was always sure to hide herself from the villagers.

The girl threw off her cloak and on anyone but her it would have been to cause of utter pity: a short sleeved, torn brown shirt and faded black shorts was all she could call to her name. The girl carefully reached for the cloak and rummaged through its many inner pockets, searching for her loot of the day. She laid the loot on her 'bed', a collection of dried leafs and moss: a small bread that was still a bit warm, 5 apples of rich red color and four strips of smoked meat, the last being a real treat to her. The girl sighed, "Three days." Her voice was surprisingly soft, holding a small.... ring to it that made you want to help her if it weren't for her birth. Tears formed in the girls eyes but she quickly brushed them away, "No more tears Will; you promised yourself never to cry again over it." The newly identified Will reached out for one of the apples and quickly bit down, savoring the rich and full taste of the fruit.

Will sat down on her bed, recalling the late times while she slowly ate the apple. 'Nearly ten years; ten years I have been living in this forest, stealing what I needed to survive and each day praying that my suffering finally comes to an end and that I won't be found out. The villagers know that they have a thief amid them but the small damage I do doesn't really concern them and they have no desire to search the woods. I.... I wonder.... how long will it be before they catch me and use me as they please?'

Will had finished her apple down to the stock and cast it away, laying down on her bed, looking at the ceiling of her home, the folded cloak serving as a pillow. The night had came among the lands and her home was scarcely enlightened but still she could see perfectly, better than to day times. Her ability to see in near darkness was the only good thing she could call to her heritage. While the daylight stung her eyes the darkness was like a soothing blanket to them. Will felt sleep creep into her mind and quickly sat up, "Not yet." She quickly rose to her feet and threw on her cloak before leaving the sanctuary of her home.

-----Destiny commands All-----

Will had stealthily been making her way through the dark woods, heading for the small stream to go about her weekly ritual: washing herself and her clothes. The river running through the woods and through the village was warm enough so she could use it even in the dead of winter that was fairly mild in this parts of the land. As long as she didn't stray too close to the village she should be safe. Will looked around, satisfied that she could neither see nor hear anyone and quickly made swift work to strip out of her clothes while keeping on the cloak. Getting to work quickly Will washed the worse stains from her clothes not even bothering with the smalled ones.

Only a few minutes later she hung her clothes on a nearby tree to let them dry and carefully took of her cloak and hung it onto the same tree, revealing a skinny body in the pale rays of the moon. True, no Elf was of sturdy build but she took the cake by a long shot though.... considering her situation she could look worse. Her rips were visible under her skin if you looked for them while the rest of her body was basically as slim as elven possible.

She shivered in the cool night air and quickly made her way to the stream, stepping into the slowly flowing water. Will sighed happily as she sat down in the shallow parts, feeling the sweat and dirt was off her body. She leaned back, weaving her hands through her hair, feeling the small knots become undone.

Her hands moved over her body, rubbing away the more persistent dirt. She shuddered as her hands brushed over the more sensitive parts of her body, letting out a soft and low moan. Despite her young age she was no stranger to physical pleasure. She had been a forced audience to more than one sexual act in her life and later had tried to recreate the obvious pleasurable feelings on her own body. To say that she was addicted would be going too far though she didn't deny that she liked those feelings and that they were part of her weekly ritual. She NEVER did it at her home out of fear that the unique scent would be track-able.

Her small hands brushed over her teenage body, her thumbs giving her dark gray nipples a short flick and a groan escaped her lips. Her left hand was softly brushing down her body and over her stomach as her sensitive ears picked up the crunching sound of boots on the forest floor. She quickly sat up and turned around, frantically searching for the source of the sound. Her eyes quickly fell on three men that emerged the woods and saw that all three held malicious grins.

"Look what we got ourselves here boys," said the fat man in the middle. "A filthy dark Elf slut." "I say we kill her," snarled the one on the left, murder burning in his eyes. "I say we have fun with her and then sell her; she must be worth some coin," said the last, grinning and revealing dirty and rotten teeth. The fat man barked out a few laughs, "I say we go with yours Port." With speed betraying his weight the fat man was in front of Will and seized her throat with his right hand, lifting the girl out of the water.

Will's lungs fought for air as she clawed at the man's wrist. "BUAHAHAHAHA! You got a nice body for filth; I will enjoy breaking you!" the air that was left in her lungs was forced out as the man slammed her back onto the ground, bruising her back and hitting her head on the hard forest floor. "Hurry up man; I want to make the bitch scream when I fuck her dry." "Shut it Port, I take as damn long as I want," barked the fat man as he literally drooled all over Will who fought with all her strength against the grip the man had on her.

"Ahh, you're a feisty one; I will enjoy this very much." the man fumbled with his free hand at his belt and Will closed her eyes, knowing what was about to come. 'Leave me alone! What have I ever done to you?! What have I done to deserve this?!?!' she felt how the man forced her thighs apart when a sudden burst of power and defiance burst form her chest, flooding her body. That power was about to lash out at the man when something.... soft and liquid hit her left cheek and her eyes flew open, 'That's no drool!'

She looked up into the man's face and saw blood seeping out of his mouth as his eyes rolled back into his head. Her eyes traveled south and she saw the tip of a sword, covered in a thin layer of fire sticking out of the man's throat. Her eyes traced the sword behind the man, up an arm, over a shoulder to the face of the holder of the sword. The only thing that registered in her mind where the eyes of the man: orbs of coal black, red iris and black slit pupils that burned with hatred.

The edge of her vision picked up how the sword was ripped from the man's throat and a heavy kick sent him off Will and crashing into one of his comrades. The same man suddenly had a dagger lodged into his forehead, killing the man in a split second.

The newcomer turned towards the last man, a second sword appearing in his left hand, slight bows of light sparkling from a gem in the hilt. "Die, scum." The man's voice was a dark tenor as he rushed at the man with remarkable speed. With two fluid motions the man impaled the offender's chest with both swords before ripping them out sideways and severing the man's torso on two.

Will's mind was slowly catching up with reality and she took a closer look at the last living man in sight: he stood tall, well above 6 feet, pure white hair running a bit past his shoulder blades. He wore a black trench-like coat that touched the forest floor. Red leather gloves gave the impression his hands were bathed in fresh blood. She barely caught the movement of the man as he flicked the blood off the blades and sheathed them on his side while he turned around, looking into Will's eyes with his own eyes, devoid of any emotion. Will noticed a black leather armor and red pants and that he was of a lean build.

Will was so entranced by the man that she didn't notice that he moved before he kneed down in front of her and brushed the blood off her left cheek with a gloved hand. She quickly crawled away from him, trying to shield her body from his eyes as she brought a good 12 feet between them. The man held his hands up in a surrendering manner, "Easy there girly, I mean you no harm.""You are lying," hissed Will, a strange flame of defiance and courage burning in her chest.

The man stood up and looked down at her before he shook his head and walked over to the tree that held Will's clothes, "Now, what would I get out of lying to you? And why should I?" Will watched him as he took her cloak from the tree and examining it, "You're a rivin; all rivin are liars." The man let out a barking laugh as he turned back to Will, "Are we? People say Drow are backstabbing bastards but you have yet to do anything like that." with a simple flick of his wrist he threw the cloak at Will who quickly slipped it over her body

The two stared each other down for what seemed like hours before their heads snapped to the woods at the same time. Will could hear voices drawing closer and a new flood of fear washed into her mind. 'THE VILLAGE!! They must have sent for the other three! What am I to do no-!' Her musing was cut short as something wet hit her face and her hands quickly came up to inspect what it was only to find her clothes in her hands. She looked up at the stranger and saw him standing between her and the parts of the woods that would soon spit out villagers.

"Leave!" Will stared at the man in bewilderment and confusion. 'Why is he doing this?!' the man seemed to be.... protecting her! 'But why wold he?' "Dammit girl! Leave or they will blame this on you!"

His words snapped her out of her thoughts back into the present. She jumped to her feet, clutching her wet clothes to her chest and bolted into the opposite direction, throwing one last look over her shoulder, seeing the man slowly draw his swords. 'First he saves me from being raped and now he lets me escape. Why? Why is he doing this?!' deciding that such thoughts could wait for later she weaved into the woods, taking the long way home.

After a few minutes Will had reached her home, not caring to be stealthy as she opened the hidden door, and slumped down on her bed, trying to regain her breath. She slowly laid out her clothes on the floor when something poked her side painfully. 'What? I had nothing in my pockets.' She carefully reached into the numerous pockets until her hand closed around something cold and hard. Slowly she pulled the item out and stared at what she held in her hands.

In her hands she held a small dagger in a black leather sheath. Sheath and dagger were probably 8'' long combined. The sheath was smooth, the letters, S D and R, were branded into it. The hilt was plain and wrapped it in black cotton to probably improve the grip. Will carefully drew the sharp blade, revealing stainless, shining silver steel. She turned the weapon a few times in her hands, surprised that something so plain could hold such beauty. 'Where did that come from?'

She thought about it for a few minutes and came to a conclusion, 'Only that stranger had the time and option to slip it in.... but why would he? It looks rather valuable.' she traced the sharp blade with her left index finger before she sheathed the weapon and laid it down on her bed. She stared at it for a few moments before deciding that it was time to sleep. Using her cloak as a blanket she lay down, her eyes still fixed on the weapon. "What a day," whispered Will as her eyes began to close and sleep claimed her.

-----Destiny commands All-----

A few days later found Will again walking through the streets of Grayfall, searching for new supplies. The sky was dark with clouds and hardly anyone was out on the street; not the best set up for a pickpocket. 'Damn it. I don't think I will have any luck today,' thought Will as she made her way through the streets. She sighed and set back on getting out of the village hoping that tomorrow would be a better day. She was deep in thought that she didn't notice the group of men coming from the opposite direction until she crashed into the leader and was knocked down on her rear while her hood was thrown back.

"Hey, you ok- DROW!!" 'SHIT,' was all that registered in Will's mind as she looked up and saw seven men dressed in navy blue. They were part of the militia and all drew different kind of weapons. Not wanting to stay around and have a 'friendly' chat Will shot to her feet before she took off into the direction she came from."Don't let the filthy Drow escape!!" "Come back here you beast!!"

The shouts of the Militia rang through the village as they gave chase to Will. Soon the people looked outside to see what the commotion was about and as soon as they saw that their trusty Militia was chasing a Drow,not few gave chase and joined the mob.

Will was running as fast as her legs would carry her and was surprisingly able to keep her distance from the mob. In her mind she berated herself for being so careless; now sneaking into the village would be so much harder. 'But for now I should focus on getting OUT of the village first,' thought Will as she rounded a corner and finally could make out the forest line in the distance. In there she would have no problem of loosing her pursuers.

Giving it her all Will ran for the tree line and quickly reached it and started to set a random course through the thick woods. Her ears picked up new shouts and curses as they grew less frequent and silent. Despite that she never slowed down until she was totally out of breath.

After a few minutes she stopped next to a tree, using her left hand to steady herself while she held her left side with her free arm. ".....Made..... it.....," huffed Will as she tried to regain her breath. She turned her back to the tree and leaned against it, closing her eyes before sliding down to sit at the roots. She tried to suppress the images of what might have happened had she been caught. She rested her forehead on her knees after the drew them to her chest, "How long......? How long do I still have to suffer like this? What have I ever done to deserve this life?"

The tips of her ears twitched as she suddenly heard something, 'No.......' she slowly lifted her head from her knees and looked around. She was surrounded by a group of nearly 20 men, all dressed in black and red leather armor, standing too close for her to bolt. Opposite of her stood one giant of a man, well past 7'6'' tall and carrying a giant ax on his back. He stepped closer to Will, towering over her.

"Well well boys; look what we found here: a young Drow."

Will slowly looked the man over until her sharp eyes spotted a metal medal on his armor on chest high. It was of an octagonal shape, the silhouette of a person in the center. Six lines connected the silhouette to the edges of the medal and realization sank into Will. All hope left her eyes as she looked into the cold brown eyes of the man before her as she muttered two words, "Slave traders."

The man started to grin while he spoke in a rough and weathered voice, "I like to see us as 'Providers of Servants'." His men burst into laughter at his joke while Will looked down on the forest floor. "Hey Boss, can we have some fun with her before selling her off?"

The man called Boss turned to the speaker, leveling a glare at the man that made him shrink. "Don't even think about it Bones; they are worth more when untouched. Besides, I doubt she would last long." Will heard the words with a mix of resignation and relief. 'So I am to be sold but not raped.....' She looked up at Boss, catching his eyes and getting a curious look from the man, "If... I cooperate... will you still hurt me?" "Oh yes girl we wi-" "I SAID SHUT IT BONES! No, the less you resist the better you get treated." Will nodded at the man, slowly getting to her feet. "There is a dagger in my left inner pocket."

Boss looked at her calculating before he searched the pockets. Finding the dagger he drew the weapon forth and looked it over. He had been around the realms for long enough to recognize a master-crafted weapon when he saw one. That alone set several alerts off in his mind but then his eyes fell on the letters on the sheath. Will could see a small hint of recognition in his eyes but decided against asking any questions. His eyes turned to Will, "Where did you get that dagger?" "A... a stranger slipped it into my pocket a few days ago," answered Will meekly.

"What did that stranger look like?" "He... he was maybe a foot shorter than you.... lean build.... dressed in mostly black and red...... he carried two swords..... and..... his eyes...." "What about his eyes?!" Will looked up at the man, seeing the memory of those eyes float in her mind, "Where... a normal eye would be white his were black.... the iris was blood red... and the pupils were black slits...."

Boss took a step back and stared at the dagger in his hand in bewilderment. Will fought against the urge to ask questions, knowing it would make her... 'sale' take longer than needed. Suddenly Boss looked at her and with speed belying his massive build he moved behind Will and she felt a sharp pain in her neck.

Her world began to fade into darkness as she heard the last words Boss spoke to his men, "Get moving, FAST! If the owner of this dagger is who I think it is then he is one of the few mortals you don't want to mess with......."

-----Destiny commands All----

OH NO!!! what has Will gotten into?! - if you're asking yourself this then i have obviously succeeded in making you worried/curious.

if you have questions use a PM, a email or a review to ask and i WILL answer. maybe not exactly in the way you want me to but i will.

now have a good day and until the 15th February.

**Review or you will be eaten in your sleep by the Bhaalspawn! **

- Nelo Akuma -


	3. First Steps

Welcome to the second chapter of 'Child of twisted Destiny'.

i bet several people are kinda edgy about what happened to Will..... and today you will find out at least a small part of it.

for those who are waiting for Will's Classes: sorry, not yet. Chapter 3 will have Will's Classes.

now my thanks for their reviews go to: **Carlalalita, XV-Dragon**(read his story 'Shunned One'!)**, Greki, Lost Prince** and** Darkness-Lightness. **

-----Destiny commands All----

The city of Metamoora was buzzing with activity. The clean streets were filled with people going over their daily routines and among them a young blond woman. Her pointed ears, pale tan and slim figure identifies her as an Elf. She stood a good 5'3'' tall, an average high for her roughly 14 summers. The very good clothing, a flowing white robe of fine silk with a few silvery portraits of a Deity's insignia, and her way of holding herself identified her as one of noble birth. The more uncommon and intriguing was the scowl the young girl wore. Her hair was long, easily reaching the middle of her back with two braids framing her face. She was the sole heir to the Ilvaren family, one of the ruling families of Metamoora. Her silvery eyes glanced at the two people walking to the left respectively the right of her.

On the left walked a female Elf, standing a good 5'9'' above the ground. Her features were slim as most Elves but also very soft. Her pale blue eyes were often dancing with mirth and seriousness in quick succession. She wore flowing robes of an arcane caster, colored in white, silver and golden. She walked with a graceful stride through the streets, smiling at the peasants that passed them.

On the young Elf's right walked a male Elf, being roughly 6'4'' tall, his build pretty sturdy for an Elf. He wore the navy blue leather armor of the City Watch and a mithral chain shirt over it, identifying him as the Commander of the forces. His posture was relaxed but at the same time alert, his eyes scanning the crowd for any troublemaker. A small scar ran from his left temple down his cheek towards his neck while his face was weather and battle hardened.

"Mom. Dad. WHY have I to do this again?!" The young Elf's voice was soft and vibrating though she held a very annoyed tone in it.

"Honey, you know that it is custom in our family that each heir chooses their personal servant when they reach their 14th summer. Yesterday you... declined to go so we are going to go now," answered the woman with a voice so similar to her daughter's. "But why from THERE," said the girl stubbornly while glaring at her father.

"Elyon, you know that it HAS to be that place," said her father in a gruff voice while glaring at a young boy coming too close to his girl for his taste. "Now stop complaining, you are attracting attention."

"Zaden darling, keep talking like this to our daughter and you will sleep on the couch tonight." The man now know as Zaden paled as he turned to his wife, his eyes showing the un-easiness. "Weira love, please-." "Silence. We are not talking anymore bout this," said Weira with stressing her words.

Elyon simply huffed and followed her parents through the streets, slowly drawing closer to the black market district. Only minutes later they were walking through dirty streets, shady business next to shady business selling goods of questionable origin. The trio walked through the streets in a brisk pace, all three wanting to spend as little time in this streets than possible. Soon they reached the slave market and Elyon's mind was filled with three very strong emotions: hate, disgust and pity. Hate for the slavers, disgust for their profession and pity for the slaves.

The slaves ranged in age from barely eight summers to their mid forties; male and female alike trapped in rusty cages, only rags to cover themselves; more than enough without any clothes at all. In races they mostly were Humans and Half-Elves, here and there a few Elves or Halflings.

Elyon studied their faces, waiting for a sign; a spark, an emotion, something that caught her eye. All the time one thought was suddenly dominant in her mind, 'I WILL choose one of them simply to give him or her a better life.' the three walked through the seemingly endless sea of of slaves, Elyon's face set in a mask of indifference. For minutes they had walked around, slowly approaching the end of the market. Elyon's heart was screaming for her to call for the Watch but.... her mind knew that it would be no use.

Suddenly Elyon stopped as if frozen in time as her eyes landed on a single slave. Her parents followed her gaze and found the person that had captured their daughter's eye. Her father Zaden was about to snarl darkly when an elbow made painful contact with his side, his wife shooting him a warning glare. Both Elves could feel a bond of kind being forged between their daughter and the slave. 'But WHY a Drow,' screamed Zaden in his mind as a weak jolt shot through his arm and body. Knowing it was the last warning his wife would give him he bit his lip and watched his daughter in silence.

Elyon in the meanwhile stared at the red headed Drow, most likely a summer or two younger than herself. She was sitting in one of the cleaner cages, her back against the bars, knees drawn up to her chest. She was skinny though she did look a lot healthier than other slaves Elyon had seen today. Either the girl was treated better or she had only recently been caught.

Time started to flow again for Elyon as a look of determination set on her face as she quickly strode up to a giant of a man that she suspected to be the girl's trader. Knowing that pulling rank and status would be very beneficial for her, Elyon set her face into an arrogant frown as she stopped in front of the giant and look up into his eyes. "She yours," said Elyon in a cold voice that could chill the hottest volcano.

The man looked down at her and was about to brush her off when he noticed the silver eyes and Elven birth. Realization set on his face as he straightened up and pulled all manners he had. "Aye me'lady, captured her just a few days ago." "Is she mannered?" "I.... can't guarantee that though she is very obedient."

"What comes with her?" "We found a dagger on her.... it is definitely not her own by origin.... I have my suspicion so I would advice to hide it." "Any education?" "She is a wild child... she seems to have some very basic education but that's it."

"Is she...." Elyon's voice trailed of as she raised her left eyebrow while gesturing with her left hand down her own body. The man caught the meaning and loosened the collar of his armor a bit, "I know that I kept my men in check but I can't say for the time before that." Elyon walked up to the cage and looked down at the Drow as said one looked up shyly. Silver met red-golden for a short instance before the Drow quickly looked away again. But in this short time Elyon had seen the immense pain and suffering in the girl's eyes.

"How much, " asked Elyon coldly as she leveled a deathly glare at the man behind her. "Uhm.... due to some.... flaws.... 4300 silver pieces...." "I give you 5000 with all she had on her." Elyon smirked deviously on the inside as she saw the man squirm. She had caught that he wanted to get rid of the Drow as soon as he could and Elyon abused that knowledge. Finally the man's shoulders slumped and he sighed, "Deal, she's yours."

Pulling out a big key chain the man unlocked the cage, "Hey, get up; you're outta my hands now." The girl quickly shuffled to her feet and walked out of the cage, standing in front of Elyon, her eyes not daring to look up. Elyon hated herself for what she was about to do. She lifted the girl's chin roughly as she locked eyes with her. "Name?" "W-w-ill...." stuttered the girl as she tried to look away.

"You will call me Mistress is that clear?" Yes, Mistress." "At least you learn fast." Elyon turned sharply to the man and held out her right hand. Sighing the man pulled a dagger and handed it to her. Elyon stuffed the weapon away as she pulled out her purse the same time. She quickly counted 50 platinum coins on a close by table and saw with satisfaction how the man's eyes nearly fell out of his head. "That's seals it," said Elyon coldly as she turned away and walked towards her parents that had kept a good distance, "Follow."

"Yes, Mistress." Will quickly fell into step behind Elyon and Zaden and Weira walked behind them, placing Will in a triangle formation. The group quickly made its way out of the black market area and walked towards the Elemental District, the area that held residence to the houses of the ruling families. All the while Weira had a sharp eye on Will, her mind telling her something. 'This girl.... she holds a lot of untapped potential.... just how is this possible? It feels like.... like she hasn't even awoken them....'

"Elyon." "Yes mom," asked Elyon softly, making Will nearly falter in her step. "You feel it too?" "Sure do mom." Elyon turned her head to shoot Will as soft and warm gaze. "We will test her after she had a long bath."

Will wasn't believing what her ears heard. That girl, who she suspected to one summer older than her... she seemed a lot warmer now.... 'It is like-?!' Will's eyes shot up to meet Elyon's, her red-brown orbs filled with surprise. 'IT WAS AN ACT?!' Will was about to blast Elyon with questions as the young Drow felt a single soft finger pressed on her lips. "Shush. Later." Will nodded dumbly as Elyon flashed her a short soft smile, before turning back forward and leading them through a large gate into the Ilvaren estate.

Will felt like she was back in the forest of Grayfall; giant trees rose into the sky, old and majestic, casting their shadows on the path leading deeper inside. Will looked around with wide eyes, and unknown serenity settling into her mind. For the first time in her life she felt at peace with the world. The Ilvarens watched Will's reaction, Elyon and Weira with small smiles and Zaden with a shocked look on his face. 'SHE CAN FEEL IT?! Even though she has been born in darkness she can feel the calming aura of the forest?!' Maybe.... just maybe he had to rethink his opinion on this particular Drow.

The four walked down the path, Will feeling more 'at home' with each step she took. Soon the trees parted and revealed a house. Scratch that; to Will it was a castle. Four stories high and the outside covered in white marble, the building stood in a clearing, what seemed to be training grounds on the left and right. Will felt someone nudging her elbow and was abruptly lead inside by a cheerful Elyon. The only things that was in Will's mind when the large double doors opened were 'large', 'bright' and 'huge'. And indeed the entrance hall was of a very respectable size, the theme of white marble continued. Will would have been staring all they had Elyon not snatched up her hand and started to pull her up the enormous stairway that took up the end of the hall. "I'll give you the tour later, for now we have to get you cleaned up."

Will just followed her mistress up to the second floor and into the right wing of the building. On the way the passed a few servants that gave Will a dirty look only to have Elyon glare sharply at them before they hurried away. Within short notice they had reached their destination as Elyon opened a door on the right. On the inside the theme of white was replaced by black marble and silver. A small pool was let into the floor, roughly 20 on 20 feet. To the left of the door was a sink as well as a stack of fluffy towels and a long row of different soaps, scented oils and other bathing accessories. Will noticed that the pool was already filled with slightly steaming water and then she smelled the scent of honey, orchids and roses in the air.

Will's mind was still trying to catch up with the happenings when Elyon let go of her hand and moved back towards the door. "You take a long soak and I'll get you some fresh clothes." and with that Elyon closed the door from the outside, leaving a confused Drow to regain her bodily works. After a few moments clothes were torn away and Will settled into the hot water, a loud sigh escaping her lips as she felt how her muscles began to relax in the warm surroundings.

She slowly rubbed her hands over her body while she sat down in the more shallow part of the pool before she dipped her had back and submerged in the water fully, combing her hair with her fingers. Slowly she came back up, resting her back and arms on the rim of the pool while her mind drifted away. 'Is this truly happening? Am I not dreaming? They seem genuine in their motives.... . They don't seem wanting to hurt me. I wonder.... could this be it; my chance at happiness?' Absentmindedly Will's hands started to caress her developing breasts, ghosting over her nipples, causing the bundles of nerves to grow hard rather fast.

Will was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear how the door was opened and closed again with as much as only a silent click; she didn't notice how the door was locked; she didn't notice how soft steps drew closer to her.... until it was too late.

Will was suddenly pulled out of her mind's world as someone grabbed her shoulders, pulled her out of the water and threw her on the cold marble floor. She looked up and saw a brunette, human male dressed in the clothes of a servant and his green eyes were burning with hatred. "I will kill you! You monster! You demon! You devil!" While the man shouted he quickly pinned her to the ground before he drove each insult home with slaps and punches, the blows growing stronger with each hit.

Will barely felt each blow connect as she started to frantically trash around, trying to throw the servant off her while screaming at thetop of her lungs, "NO! LET ME GO! GET OFF ME!!"

"Will? Will! What in the Red Knight's name is going on in there?!" Elyon's voice passed through the door followed by loud banging and other shouts.

The servant stared at the door for a moment before his mind dropped into madness. His hands quickly closed around Will's throat, pressing down on the delicate neck and quickly cutting off Will's air. Will was clawing desperately at his hands and wrists, fear and desperation flooding her mind while her lungs ached for air. A surge of power and defiance build up within her soul, reaching out to flood all of her body before focusing in her right hand in a purple glow.

She shakily raised her arm, her open palm pointed at the man's face. On the very edge of her perception she noticed the sound of splintering wood as well as something heavy crashing into the floor. With a raspy voice that suddenly grew stronger she shouted at the man, "Let.... me GO!!!" A burst of purple energy shot forth from her palm and hit the man square in the face. Within a split second the man's hands flew to his face that looked like acid had been poured all over it and he started to claw what was left while his wails of pain filled the room. The man fell backwards into the pool while Will quickly crawled into the closest corner of the room, gasping for as she curled up into a small ball, her mind starting to block out reality.

In the hall, Elyon had just returned from her own room, a few of her old clothes in her arms that would hopefully fit Will's smaller body when she heard a commotion coming form the bathroom, followed by shouts. "NO! LET ME GO! GET OFF ME!!"

Elyon easily recognized the voice of Will and she dropped what she had been holding and ran the last few feet to the door only to fin it locked. "Will? Will! What in the Red Knight's name is going on in there?!" Elyon tried to force the door open as she shouted through the house, "MOM! DAD! GET HERE RIGHT NOW!!"

A blue, round portal appeared in the corridor and Weira and Zaden stepped out of it with worried faces. "What is this Elyon," asked Weira with concern on her face. "It's Will! Someone is in there with her and the door is locked!" "Step aside," commanded Zaden before he charged the door, slamming his shoulder into it and breaking it off its hinges and out of the door frame. The door and Zaden crashed into the floor loudly and Elyon and her mother burst into the room, all three elves staring at Pertin, a servant in the kitchen sit on Will, trying to strangle her.

Zaden was about to tackle the man off the girl when a purple glowing hand caught every Elves' attention. They watched as in slow motion how Will raised her hand and pointed it at Pertin. "Let.... me GO!!!" They observed how Pertin fell backwards into the pool, clawing his face while howling in pain and how Will crawled into the closest corner.

The two adults were shortly frozen, recognizing the power Will had just used while Elyon hurried for Will's body, pulling the trembling Drow into her arms, trying to calm her down. Weira was the first of the adults to regain command of her body. She mumbled a short incantation under her breath before pointing the index and middle finger of her right hand at the pool, a bow of lightening jumping from the fingertips and hitting the water dead center, killing the madman fast but painfully.

Elyon was holding Will's body in her arms, rocking her back and forth while muttering calming words but the young Drow's eyes stayed unfocused and dead. Nothing that the Elf said reached the ashen skinned girl's mind and not much later Will's brain went into shock and shut down from using whatever power she used. Elyon looked around for her parents just in time to see Zaden stand up slowly and Weira casting the Lightening Bolt spell.

She turned back to Will and saw a nasty bruise on her throat's sides. Closing her eyes Elyon called forth some of her divine magic and softly pressed her left palm at the tender skin, casting a quick Cure Minor Wounds spell on the bruised skin, healing the small damage quickly. After a few seconds Elyon pulled back and tried to lift up Will's body in her arms what was surprisingly easy for her to do. 'She needs to gain some weight,' thought Elyon while she turned to look at her mom. "I'm-" "You're going to put her into bed right now," interrupted Weira with a stern voice. "Everything else can wait until tomorrow." Elyon nodded and quickly carried Will out of the room.

Weira and Zaden shared worried looks. "If she truly has THAT class," started Weira only to have Zaden finish for her, "Then we have to train her very well and quick or she will die the moment people find out about it."

-----Destiny commands All----

Elyon quickly reached the third floor, HER floor to be exact and quickly took the left corridor. Soon she came over a half closed door and nudged it open with her left foot, entering the large room. The room was invisibly divided into two sections. On her right was a large desk and a long row of bookshelves along with a second wooden door. On her left was a large, queen sized bed, a wardrobe and a set of glass doors that lead out to a balcony. The room was bathed in the soft orange-red light of the afternoon.

Elyon quickly approached the second door and after some shifting Will in her ams opened it without waking the young Drow. She stepped inside the room, a rather small one compared to the one before . The room held only a medium sized desk, a wardrobe and a bed. A large window let the sun cast some last rays into the room, giving it a warm light. Elyon swiftly walked over to the bed and carefully laid Will down on the soft mattress, blushing slightly as she realized the sight she was getting from the naked Drow. "You have to admit that she got a nice figure," whispered a traitorous voice in her mind.

Elyon's blush deepened until it matched Will's hair as she let her eyes travel up and down Will's still slightly wet body. her eyes followed a drop of water that slowly slid down over her chest. Suddenly she shook her head frantically and stormed out of the room. 'BAD Elyon! What are you thinking?!' Elyon went on a mental rant, scolding herself for thinking such things about Will, especially in her current state. Throwing a look out of the glass doors Elyon decided that she would do some training to get her mind off such things and straighten out her thoughts.

-----Destiny commands All----

Wow, quite a load happened here, huh? but it seems that wherever Will goes there will be people who wish her harm. hopefully the Ilvaren can help Will.... and are willing to do so in the first place.

*chuckles* and poor Elyon; puberty seems to be hell for Elves. wonder how long she will be able to keep her sanity.....

- Nelo Akuma


	4. To Make or Break a Girl

Good day Ladies and Gentlemen.

It's March 1st and time for the next chapter. Today will be the day: Will's Classes will be revealed. What will they be? Will they maker her life easier? Or will they make it even harder than it is already? read and find out.

now i want to reply to a reviewer: **CaptainThomas** - You asked if there will be any of the original villains from the show/comic. short answer: yes. There will be MOST of the big evil guys (and girls) that we learned to know and either love or hate. and i will also give you a few of who will be in this story: Cedric, Phobos, Miranda, Frost, Tracker. ....... ....... at what you said about a Will/Frost pairing...... bring this up again and i WILL find a way to hunt your sorry ass down and skin you alive for putting this image in my head, are we clear? good.

now general thanks for reviewing go to: **XV-Dragon**(how often do i have to say this: READ HIS STORY!!)**, Greki, Carlalalita **and **CaptainThomas.**

now, enough talk and on with the show.

-----Destiny commands All----

Slowly Will's mind came out of the darkness and registered only warmth and softness. Drowsily she snuggled into the fluffy pillow, unwilling to get up just yet. 'Waaaaait.... FLUFFY PILLOW?!' Her eyes flew open and she sat up, blinking rapidly to get used to the bright light. 'Where am I... AND WHY AM I NAKED?!' She quickly wrapped the silken bedsheets around her body, her mind working overtime to figure out just what was going on.

Slowly her memories came back to her and she became aware of something else. This.... power she had used.... it was still there.... inside of her. 'It is like.... an underground water stream, waiting for a chance to burst free.'

A soft knock on the door caused her to jump out of the bed and quickly wrap the bedsheets around herself like a toga. She opened the door and saw her mistress stand there, holding a tray filled with food in her hands. "Oh, you're awake already." Will stared at Elyon, taking in the cream-colored dress she wore. Realizing that she was staring at her mistress Will quickly stepped aside and cast her eyes down.

Elyon frowned as she saw how Will tried to make herself as small as possible as she stepped into the room. She quickly placed the tray of food on the desk before she turned back to Will. She softly took hold of the other girl's chin and raised her head until the two locked eyes and she slowly pushed Will's shoulder back a bit giving her a straightened stance. Elyon gave the shorter girl a short look up and down before nodding to herself. "That's better. Hold yourself with pride Will. I can only imagine how your life was but you can be proud to be still alive and.... unharmed."

Will stood rooted to the spot, her mind running circles, 'Pride....? Sure... my life wasn't easy... but... to be proud of it?' While Will was mulling over her words Elyon turned back to the food tray. "We have a lot to do today so dig in." Being broken out of her thoughts Will looked up and her eyes fell on the tray and the items on it: scrambled eggs with bacon, buttered toast with jam, some cereal with FRESH fruits, a glass of orange juice as well as a glass of milk. Will was stunned by the sheer amount of food and was just blinking, expecting an illusion to be lifted.

Elyon observed with a frown how the other girl was too shy to even move and took matters in her own hands. She took firm hold of Will's shoulders and steered the girl to her bed, setting her down on the edge before turning around and fetching the food tray and placing it on her knees. "I'm going to get you some clothes that will hopefully fit you and when I come back I want all that in there." Elyon emphasized her last words with a swift poke to the other girl's stomach and felt muscles tense under the contact.

Elyon turned around and walked to the door, stopping as she stood in between the frame and looked back over her shoulder. "You better start eating or I will feed it to you piece by piece when I come back." She couldn't help the small smirk play over her lips as she saw Will's shocked face before she closed the door.

Will stared at the closed door for nearly a minute before the tempting smell of the food was caught in her nostrils. Another moment later and she was tearing into the food, forgoing the fork and going straight for the large spoon. Small moans of pleasure sometimes passed her lips as she ate the food with great gusto and the tray was cleaned out within short notice. After the last grain was gone Will placed the tray back on the table before she lay back on her bed.

'This is all so surreal. They... don't seem to care that I am a dark Elf; they feed me, treat me well, protect me and... they are even going to give me clothes.' She looked at her palms, again feeling power course through her body. 'What IS this power? I... I remember I felt the same when that man saved me....' She flexed her hands and narrowed her eyes. She started to concentrate hard and a faint purple glow, barely visible against her dark skin, seeped out and coated her hand. Will furrowed her brows, willing the glow to disappear. "Not bad. You are already experimenting."

Will jumped to her feet and turned towards the speaker as the sheets dropped a bit, exposing the young girls chest. She stared at Elyon, who in turn couldn't help but let her gaze drop to the Drow's chest, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks. "Good thing I brought some chest bindings." A very strong blush appeared on Will's face as her arms shot up to cover her breasts. Despite her blush Elyon couldn't help but giggle slightly, "Don't worry, you have nothing I haven't seen before." 'Though you'd still like to see more,' came the traitorous voice again.

Will saw the logic in those words and slowly let her arms drop. Both girls were still blushing, Will because of Elyon's gaze and Elyon because she couldn't tear her eyes off Will's half naked body. Elyon blamed it on teenage hormones and the fact that Will held quite some exotic beauty to herself.

Shacking her head slightly Elyon placed a bundle of clothes on the desk and pulled out some blood red bindings, "I think white would be too visible against your skin and this was the only thing I could find." With a nod from Will Elyon moved behind her and prepared for her task, "Raise your arms." Will complied, bringing both of her arms in one line with her shoulders. Elyon quickly started to wrap up Will's chest, making sure to do it firmly while not painful. Elyon was hard pressed to stay focused and not try to see just how soft the grwing mounds of the young Drow were in reality.

After a few movements Will gave a short nod, indicating that she would be fine though it was a strange feeling. Elyon stepped back and picked up the other clothes from the desk and laid them out, "I had no idea what size you are so I just got you some of my old clothes; I hope they fit for the time being." Quickly skipping past the underwear Will's eyes fell on a cream colored dress very similar to what Elyon was wearing right now, only that it stopped at her mid thigh and was short sleeved. A pair of white pants and dark silken gloves lay there as well and Will quickly got dressed. The white clashed BADLY with her dark skin but for now it would do... and Will was no one to be picky about her clothes.

A small cough brought Will's attention back to Elyon who had one hand behind her back and was blushing, "Uhm... you need to wear this as well... For one it is the law.... and two you won't be attacked in public if you do." Will looked at the item and couldn't help but blush as well. It was a red leather chocker, a good 2 inches wide, a silver metal plate with the word Ilvaren engraved into it in filigree letters.

Elyon stepped closer and Will lifted her chin to give the other girl easy access to her throat and neck. Seconds later Will felt the smooth leather against her skin, fitting snugly without making it hard to breath. The silver plate was displayed on the left half of her throat, clearly visible and easily readable as well.

"Well, the colors aren't perfect but it will do for now," Said Elyon as she mustered Will form head to toe. "But now we need to go; Mom and Dad are waiting." Quickly snatching Will's left hand Elyon proceeded to drag the young Drow out of the room.

----Destiny commands All----

Weira and Zaden were sitting in their study, a large room filled with books over books. A small table and a few armchairs made up a cozy place to read in silence. But they weren't there to read; they were waiting for their daughter and her servant to show up. In the light of last day's revelations they really needed to test Will on her Classes and both, Weira more than Zaden, were praying that their suspicion was wrong.

A knock on the door caused both to look up from their thoughts and both spoke in one voice, "Enter." In walked their daughter followed by Will, who looked very much wrong in the bright colored clothing and Weira decided that some 'girl time' was needed later on.

"Will, please take a seat," stated Weira softly as she motioned for the seat on her left. "I am sure you have many questions and I hope we will be able to answer most if not all of them." Will nodded mutely, not daring to speak or look the woman into the eyes while she sat down. Weira frowned lightly as she saw this and spoke again, her voice very soft, "Listen Will; as you have probably noticed yesterday, the scene and mask Elyon put on was just an act for the trader. Noneof us are cruel masters nor do we think of you as property."

Will looked up and met the pale-blue eyes of Weira, seeing no deception in them. A small flame of hope flickered alive in her again. "Now, the most important question you probably have is 'Why me?', right?" Will nodded muttering a shy "Yes." Elyon took over from there placing a soft hand on Will's left arm. "It was you because.... something felt off about you, in a good way. Though we barely know each other I feel that I can trust you."

Will nodded her head slightly, knowing the feeling Elyon spoke of. She felt safe around the older Elf and even brave, like she could be who she is and get away with it. "Also," stated Weira, effectively drawing Will's attention, "We don't actually care about your blood.... you MAY be a Drow by blood but we are still willing to give you a chance to prove yourself. You are now part of the staff, solely assigned to Elyon. You will still treat me and my husband with respect and follow our orders but only unless they collied with the orders given to you by Elyon; you will follow her every command." "Yes ma'am," answered Will, her voice ringing with a surprising conviction. 'After all.... they won't give me 'bad' orders....' suddenly her mind was shooting her lewd orders and she couldn't help but blush a bit. Elyon saw this from the corner of her eyes and she herself was quickly overloaded with... unclean thoughts.

Weira frowned as she saw both girls blush. 'I expected as much from Elyon, she is that age but Will? She is too.... innocent to even KNOW about this...' Before she could mull over this more Zaden started to speak, "Also your duty will include protecting Elyon at any time. She IS the sole heiress and enough people would like to have her cute head on a silver plate. For this we will take several actions: one, we will determine your Classes; we have our suspicion but we want proof and two, we will either train you ourselves or find suitable trainers for you."

Will raised her hand slightly, "Uhm... Sir?" "Yes Will?" "Why teach me how to fight? With all due respect but when I had learned enough I could easily fight my way outside.... or even kill Elyon...." Zaden was shocked that the young girl considered such treachery but then.... it was a valid question, one he should have expected. "For one, the better you can fight the higher the chances are that you'll be able to protect Elyon if need be and two.... take it as a sign of trust."

Will closed her eyes, thinking about his words for a few seconds before locking eyes with Zaden, an unusual determination burning in her eyes. "I will do all that is within in my might to never loose that trust, Sir." Zaden's mind nearly reeled back in shock. 'That was damn close to a Kensai's oath of service... She seems really devoted already.' "Very good," said Weira as she stood up and walked over to a nearby cabinet, "Now we are going to figure out your Classes."

She placed an object carefully in front of Will and the young Drow studied it: it was a crystal orb, roughly 8'' in diameter. The crystal was of a smoky, deep blue color; in the center she could make out something red, shining slightly and bathing the whole orb in a twilight. "What is this ma'am?" "This orb and others of its kind had once a name in history but the name was lost. Though nowadays we still know what they do and how they came to be. They are capable to unveil any and all Classes of a person holding them. So.... if you would be so kind?"

Will nodded slowly and carefully lifted the orb with both hands from the small table. The reaction was instant. The mist within the orb cleared away and the red light began to shine brightly. The orb pulsed a few times, sending bursts of arcane power through the room. Suddenly the light within the orb dimmed and small, barely visible symbols started to spiral around the core with incredible speed. Suddenly one of the symbols broke free from the cluster and shot around the surface of the orb before slowly coming to a stop at the top of the orb as another symbol burst from the main cluster as the one before and the ones to follow.

The first symbol was a pointed dark ear, giving once more proof to Will's Drow heritage.

The second symbol turned out to be a sword that was surrounded by a pink glow. A question mark came to rest just under this sword.

The third symbol was a gloved hand with a purple glow surrounding it and once more a question mark appeared below it.

The fourth symbol was another sword but this one was wrapped in a twig. And again a question mark appeared under it.

A circle surrounded those six symbols before the light of the orb lessened, leaving only the total of seven symbols visible.

Before anyone could react two white tendrils shot from the orb and quickly struck Will's hands. The young Drow began to wince as she felt her skin sting like she was constantly poked with needles but she bit her lip, holding onto the orb. She closed her eyes, trying to suppress the impulse to drop the orb.

The other three were staring at the scene, Elyon because of the last happenings and Weira and Zaden due to the symbols revealed. One was normal, two could be expected, three was rare but not unheard of. Having two Gestalt Classes was not everyday business but it happened often enough.... but THREE? That was just damn freaky. 'And three unknown factors as well,' thought Weira with a frown on her face. 'I had hoped we would learn the source but that was shot down.'

Zaden was having similar thoughts though he was now more... eager to train Will. 'So much potential; it is a wonder she has only recently awoken some of her powers. But now we have to find someone to train her. Weira and I can teach her the basics but she needs to know ALL there is...'

Will was panting slightly as the stinging sensation ebbed away and the two tendrils of light retreated. With shaking hands she place the orb back on the table and slowly removed her gloves. Angry red lines were drawn over the back of her hands in what seemed random patters but... to Will they seemed all but random. She softly placed the gloves back on, ignoring the sting of her still sensitive flesh before she looked up at Weira and Zaden, awaiting their explanation.

Weira and her husband exchanged short glances before Weira began to speak, "Will, we will start with the right most symbol because it is more common than the others combined: the Ranger. A Ranger normally chooses his profession early to either use a bow or wield two sword. Or as a friend of mine once said it, "deciding to shoot twigs or hold two pointy objects". Either way, both comes natural to a Ranger and much more earlier than for any other Class. In combat they mostly take the role of a flanker, charging the sides of their enemies though they could hold there own for some time. Over the time they are granted a small array of divine spells, mostly of healing and supporting nature. The question mark would have told us about your chosen deity but it comes as no surprise that you haven't chosen one yet." Weira stopped here to let things sink into Will, who seemed deep in thought before she nodded.

Zaden spoke next, his voice calm but at the same time excited, "Next is the glowing sword of the left and it means that you are also a Hexblade. The Hexblade is a mix of an arcane caster and a sword fighter. They are mostly specialized in swords but sometimes they pick totally different weapons. Their arcane power lies in a small but versatile array of spells. Unlike most other arcane casters, who have problems performing their spell while wearing a type of armor besides their robes, a Hexblade has no problem with casting their spells while wearing light armor as their spells' semantics are rather simple. But their most distinguishable features are of a totally different kind: the Hexblade Curse and the Aura of Unluck. The Curse stunts your opponents very basic abilities in every sense and grows more potent as the Hexblade grows. The Aura causes all your opponents to get sloppy in their attacks, making it easier for you to evade their blows. The question mark would have told us if you already had an Familiar though this is not the case, hence the mark."

All three Elves could see that Will obviously liked being a Hexblade, if her smile was anything to go by. They waited for Will to give them a sign to continue and she soon nodded at them.

Elyon by now was shifting in her seat, having already figured out all that so far but that last symbol was alien to her and she was dying to know what it meant. She already knew that Will's potential was very impressive but this third Class could make her a truly powerful individual. Her eyes were literally glued to her mother's lips as she began to speak.

"Your last Class.... is something that could raise above all.... or tear all your dreams apart....." Weira looked at each girl with eyes that spoke volumes of the seriousness of this and both sat up with a straighter back. "Will... your last Class.... is that of....a Warlock..."

Elyon gasped as she heard that name from her mother's mouth and her eyes widened while she was gapping like a fish out of the water. Will deducted from their reaction that this was a matter beyond serious and she waited patiently for Weira to continue her explanation.

"The Warlock... is a Class unlike most others. They are arcane casters though... unlike a Wizard they do not manipulate only a certain aspect of arcane power... The Warlock bends the pure power of Eldritch might on the most raw level with their willpower alone. They DO indeed have spell-like magic, called Invocations. They are not as numerous or versatile as a Wizard's or an other arcane caster's spells but they are just as powerful." Weira looked up at Will and straight into the Drow's eyes as she kept speaking. "What you did yesterday was an Invocation way beyond your level of control or power. It is called Vitriolic Blast, an alternation of the basic skill of a Warlock I will come back to soon enough. Said Invocation changes the properties of the Blast to be Acid and... you have seen the effect is has first hand with Pertin. But the most distinguishable feature of the Warlock is the so called Eldritch Blast. It is a small blast of pure Eldritch might, with the right Invocations capable to take many shapes and forms. A Warlock obtains his or her power from forming a pact with one of two possible sources: demons or celestials. The second is very rare while the first is the vast majority. But that is not the only way; Every descendant of a Warlock, no matter how far away from the original pact bearer, has the possibility to awaken their Eldritch potential."

Will simply sat in her chair, shocked into silence and her mind filled with dreadful images of her future. Shakily she looked up at Weira, her voice barely above a whisper, "What is... my source...?" Weira sighed as she looked away from Will's pleading eyes, "We don't know. The question mark under the middle one should have told us but.... as you can see it remains a mystery...."

Will dropped her head, eyes sparkling with moisture. She pulled her knees up to her chest and moved her arms around them while her forehead rested against her kneecaps. At first there were only sobs but soon tears streamed down the young girl's cheeks while her whole body shook with tears as she tried to make herself as small as possible.

Weira and Zaden exchanged sad looks, knowing that nothing they could possibly say or do would help the young Drow now.

Elyon on the other hand moved swiftly after she broke out of her stupor and quickly reached for Will, pulling the crying girl over to her own armchair. She placed Will in her lap, both girls face to face before she hugged the smaller girl. Will's arms quickly moved around Elyon and she held onto her like her life depended on it. Elyon rubbed her hands softly up and down Will's back, whispering hopefully calming words into her ear.

For several minutes the older Elves watched the exchange between the two young ones in silence. Weira's heart was gripped by a cold claw, her motherly side crying for her to comfort the poor girl but she knew that it wasn't her place. Zaden's mind was filled with something one would call utter astonishment. 'Any other Drow would rejoice at the news of being a Warlock and thank their Deity but this one.... she cries, devastated by the news. She is different, so different from her kind.'

After several more minutes Will had run out of actual tears and only sobs could be heard as she rested her forehead on Elyon's shoulder. Elyon was slowly rocking back and forth in her seat, throwing a pleading look over Will's shoulder at her mother. The elder Elf nodded silently before she went through a few hand gestures and then pointed her index finger at the back of Will's head. Within seconds the sobs died away and Will's breathing was getting more even and steady while she slowly lost her vice like grip on Elyon; Will had been effectively put to sleep.

"Elyon.... take her to bed.... and lock her door. We are going out to gather basic supplies for her and I don't want to come only to find that Will has killed off half the staff because she defended herself from them. Leave her a spare key and a letter explaining things." "Yes mother," answered Elyon as she shifted Will in her arms and picked her up bridal style and carried her out of the room.

After Elyon had left the two Elves sighed. "I can't believe this," muttered Zaden. "Don't believe what love?" "Such a hated young child.... holding so much power...." He looked up at his wife, his eyes dead serious, "We have already seen what one with THAT combination can do." Weira scowled as she tried to remember who her husband was talking about when it suddenly clicked in her mind and she knew of who he spoke.

"Love, you might just have found the perfect teacher for young Will." Zaden's face was one of shock before a grin played around his lips. "Heh, you might be onto something there. Only problem would be how to convince him to actually do it." Weira nodded as she slowly stood up, "I will send him a message right away. We will go over the basics with her while we wait for his answer. Now love..." Zaden groaned as he reached for his cloak and pulled out a leather pouch, "Just don't go overboard." Weira took the pouch, metal clicking against metal on the inside and smiled while she left, leaving the study and a grumbling Elf behind.

-----Destiny commands All----

Elyon has just now reached her floor and room and swiftly made her way towards Will's chamber and softly lay Will down on her bed. She looked down at the girl's tear stained face and pulled out a handkerchief, softly brushing away the trails of tears. While she went over her task she sat down on the bed. 'Poor Will. Fate seems to like dealing you a very bad hand.' She stroke a wild lock of hair out of Will's face and tugged it behind her ear. Elyon couldn't tear her eyes off Will's face, staring at her, her eyes always straying to the girl's thin lips. She unconsciously leaned in closer, studying each and every detail on her servants face.

Once again her eyes were drawn to those soft looking lips and Elyon licked her own lips with the tip of her tongue. 'Come on, you know you want to. No one will know; just a few seconds and it is all over. No one will ever find out.' Elyon shook her head furiously as if she could shake the voice out as she quickly left the room. 'NO! I... I am not like this!' Swiftly she closed the door behind her, a strong red hue coloring her cheeks.

-----Destiny commands All----

CUT! edit, copy and archieve.

This is it, the big mystery of Will's Classes has been revealed. for those confused about my explanation of the Classes: feel free to contact me. i will explain myself as long as it won't reveal plot twists later on.

before someone who has knowledge about the Classes comes to me and cries about making Will 'uber': you have NO idea what Will and her friends will be up against later on. they will need each and every edge they can get. besides, so far Will has no one who coudl actually TEACH her anything but the basics. You can only learn so much from books and while Rangers are rather common, Hexblades and Warlocks are not exactly growing on trees. Also both Classes are not really pupolar with the population, so Will can't simply go around asking for them.

anyway, the next chapter will be focusing on Will and how she actually takes to her Classes.

Until the 15th March

- Nelo Akuma


	5. Who are they? What do they want?

Good Day Ladies and Gentlemen.

again it's the 15th and again it's Sunday. time for the next chapter of Will's struggles in life.

last time Will's classes had been revealed, today we see how she will deal with it. also she will get some more insight into the Ilvaren. will the questions finally be answered? read an find out.

-----Destiny commands All----

Will was panting, her body hurt, sweat ran through her clothes like water and her arms hang by her side. She tried to look around but her body wouldn't follow her commands. She just stared ahead, trying to penetrate the darkness that surrounded her. She heard steps drawing closer and her body raised her hands. She saw that she was holding two swords, on each an occasional blood stain against the silvery metal.

Against the darkness she could suddenly make out a silhouette coming closer, something aflame in its right hand and something glowing blue in its left. "You have grown strong, very strong in such short time but you still have a long way to go." The voice was male; hard and soft at the same time, holding a hint of amusement. Will felt herself tighten the hold on the two swords and spoke in a voice that was her own, thought strained, tired and a tad bit cold, "Yes master." "Tsk, tsk, tsk. What have I told you about calling me master? Stop it and call me by my name." "Yes.... S-"

-----Destiny commands All----

Will shot up panting like crazy, desperately looking around. "Where.... what..... how.....?" Slowly her mind and pulse came to rest, giving her enough time to gather her thoughts. 'It was all... a dream? It felt so real.... so intense.' She wiped a thin layer of sweat from her forehead as she laid back down again. 'Who was that I spoke to? His voice.... seemed familiar..... but why...?'

Suddenly Will sat up in her bed, recent events coming back to the front of her mind. 'So... my classes have been revealed... I wonder what will happen now.' A single tear threatened to roll down her right cheek but a steady hand quickly brushed it away. "No use crying over things that can't be changed. I am who and what I am; I just have to deal with it," whispered Will to herself as a strong resolve manifested in her mind and soul. "I will show them; I will show them all."

She quickly got out of bed and walked towards the door.... only to find it locked! Hints of panic and fear clawed at her heart. 'So they don't trust me anymore. They fear me.... fear what I might be able to do if-' Her thoughts came to a sudden halt as she noticed a short letter sitting on her desk with a small key attached to it. Slowly she removed the key from its position before she picked up the letter and silently read the filigree words:

Will,

if you read this you will probably have already noticed that the door is closed and locked.

This is NOT to lock you inside but to lock others out. Unless you know how to defend yourself

properly this is the best course of action to prevent things like Pertin from happening again if neither

of us three are in the house.

We will probably be back around lunch, until then please try to stay away from the staff.

They are good people and I trust them with my life mostly but... a few could hold the same

hatred like Pertin did and... I want to know you're safe when I have to leave you back home.

Elyon

Will sighed in relief as she read the letter a second time. 'So it is the staff they don't trust....' Softly she inserted the key into its predestined place and silently opened the door. Elyon's room was flooded in the golden light of the mid morning sun, giving the whole room a very homey feeling. Will stepped into the room and was quickly drawn towards the bookshelves, wanting to know more about her owner.

The range of books covered most aspects of importance, be it deities, races, classes, magic of arcane and divine origin or other planes of existence. Taking note of a couple of books that seemed worthwhile Will started to wander through the room some more, soon coming to the desk that was strangely neat today. Only three books lay on it and Will let her eyes roam them. The first was bound in black leather with pink metal fittings giving a strong contrast. It was named 'The Hexblade - The misunderstood Curse', written by someone going by the name of S. Raven.

Making a mental note to read that book as soon as she could, Will took in the second book on the table bound in dark violet leather. Reading the name she found another 'must read': 'Warlocks – Light in Darkness, Darkness in Light', again written by S. Raven. Will noticed that those two books looked brand new compared to the third, much thicker book. It was bound in plain dark brown leather and named 'Races of the Underdark' written by someone called Elminster.

Will opened the last book on a marked page and came face to face with an entry about one race: Drow. Perplexed, Will picked the book up, entering an auto-pilot mode and started reading, soaking every bit of information up like a sponge.

The entry was not a collection of prejudices or biased ideas but an objective and thorough analysis of all known aspects of Drow society and life. Will was fascinated and at the same time repelled at what she read but... there was no way around denying that this WAS where she came from, her very roots in blood. She could do nothing about being a Drow but.... the book clearly spoke of several Drow that had turned partly or fully from their evil and malicious past.

The book especially named two Drow. The first was a male going by the name of Drizzt Do'Urden, a Ranger that sought a different destiny on the surface. The second was a female named Viconia DeVir, a Cleric that was associated with a blackened out name but from what she read, Will knew that this woman had played a major role in several big events of the near past.

Will was just reading through the different deities known in Drow society when the door in her back softly opened and Elyon stepped inside, loaded with several bags and boxes. Seeing Will stand as still as a statue and unresponsive to the world around her Elyon placed the items silently on her bed and stepped behind the smaller Elf, reading over her shoulder with a small smile, happy at the obvious interest the young Drow showed in her past. "I see you found them," whispered Elyon in her ear, causing Will to let out a startled squeal and jumped a good two feet of the ground before she spun around and glared at Elyon.

The older Elf couldn't help but giggle behind her hand as she saw the pout on Will's face, a sight that was rather cute. "Come Will. Mom and I went out and got you a couple of loads of clothes that you can choose from." Will's face was instantly split by a small smile as she watched Elyon unpack and lay out the clothes sorted by type of textile. "Try to pick at least one set for day to day wear as well as something more official. Later we can head out to gather more of similar outfits. Just remember: your choker must be visible at ALL times."

Will nodded her head as a thought hit her, "What about traveling clothes? I highly doubt we will stay in the city forever." Elyon smiled at the practical way of thinking Will seemed so fond of, "If you find something by all means set it aside."

Will again nodded and started to roam the selection. She quickly picked some sets of underwear, blushing a bit at some of the more... racy choices that she made. Then she set her mind on finding something she could wear over those articles. 'First I need daily clothes.... Bright colors would only draw unneeded attention so they are out of the question... Hm... dark colors would probably be best....' Quickly dismissing colors like bright green, blue and red Will went for darker colors and soon came up with a set that was to her liking: black, tight fitting, jeans-like pants; a very dark blue, sleeveless shirt; a pair of dark red gloves along with an equally colored vest; a pair of black half-boots completed the first set of clothing. Setting them aside Will decided to first find all possible outfits before trying them on. Not finding anything else she wanted to wear throughout daily life Will set her eyes on finding something official.

Deciding that any too fancy clothing would probably draw unwanted attention to her person, not to even mention drawing attention to Elyon and her handling of a slave, Will again did forgo bright colors. She quickly found a pair of black silken gloves, reaching just below her elbows. While she studied them her eyes fell on something that made her smile a bit: a robe that looked like one of those.... kimonos the people of the far east used to wear. It was colored of a pitch black, only slightly darker than her own skin and made of silk. Silver trimming of arcane symbols were outlining the collar, the hem as well as the middle of the front of the kimono; it was held together by a robe of purple color. A plain pair of very dark blue, slightly heeled shoes completed the set and Will could hardly wish for something more.

Letting her eyes wander again Will decided to see if she couldn't find something for traveling and she quickly spotted a light, black skirt that would reach just above her knee caps. Along with a dark purple set of stockings Will hoped that it wouldn't look slutty on her. Next her eyes fell on a black-blue, light leather armor that had been tailored to look like a short sleeved top with a slight V-cut. Then her eyes fell on something that made her smile once more: it was a sleeveless leather coat of a dark purple color. The inside held many pockets and the hem would probably stop around her mid-calves. Lastly Will picked a pair of fingerless, pink gloves that would hopefully hide the markings on her hands.

Elyon had watched all this with a small smile, silently complimenting her servant for her choice of clothes. 'She has chosen clothes that will not attract too much attention without trying hide herself. The gloves will probably help protect her hands from developing swellings from wielding a weapon while also hiding those markings, whatever they may mean. She will probably be able to move easily in all the clothes, even the Kimono won't restrict her movements very much.'

Elyon came out of her musing just in time to see Will pull off the dress she had been given with little shame, revealing smooth ashen black skin. Elyon couldn't help but blush as the traitorous voice once more echoed in her mind, lewd comments and husky voice drawing even more blood to the Elf's cheeks.

Will was oblivious to Elyon's blushing as she put on her casual attire, making sure that the gloves would cover her new markings. Cheeking again to make sure everything was in place Will looked at the mirror next to Elyon's bed before nodding and turning to her mistress, awaiting her thoughts. The older Elf looked Will up and down several times, making note that while at first these clothes looked very weird in combination, on Will with her unusual combination of skin, hair and eye color these clothes looked very good. The set was simple but at the same time underlining the... exotic beauty Will held in Elyon's eyes. Elyon couldn't help the small hint of jealousy creep into her mind as she saw how stunning Will could look in even the most simple of clothes. Quickly shaking said jealousy from her mind Elyon gave an approving smile and nod to Will who in turn smiled brightly at her approval.

Elyon quickly looked the other way as she saw how Will eagerly stripped out of her current clothes. 'Good Gods girl! Get a grip on yourself! She is not the first half naked girl you have seen. You have seen the others in less and it hasn't effected you this much. So why do I get so riled up about this?!' "Elyon? Is.... something the matter?" Will's soft voice broke Elyon from her thoughts and she looked up at the dark skinned girl, staring at her while seeing her donned in her traveling gear.

The purple gave a slight contrast to the girl's skin and it worked wonders on hiding her in plain sight, though it also caused Will's eyes and hair to stand out a little less and that way drawing away even more attention. Knowing her classes Elyon couldn't help that she looked the part of a Hexblade very good right now. The young Drow also seemed very comfortable in her attire, her posture more relaxed than Elyon had seen her besides when she was asleep. "My compliments Will. Those two outfits look really good on you. While it may draw some attention at first it also makes you look.... I don't know; more mature maybe?"

Will blushed noticeably at the compliment, turning her head slightly away from Elyon. 'She's... just saying that... She can't really mean it... not when she herself has such a beautiful figure.' Trying to get her mind out of it Will quickly went over stripping and donning her official robe. The soft and smooth silk felt wonderful against her skin and Will couldn't help but smile a bit. Slowly she pulled on the gloves, again reveling in the feeling it produced all over her body as the gloves fit like a second skin.

Elyon stood rooted to the spot as she couldn't tear her eyes away from Will. 'Damn it. That looks so good on her it's scary. If it weren't for her heritage she would have men lying at her feet as soon as they saw her in that. As soon as the next ball rolls on she will have a lot of attention. And when she has picked a weapon by then...' Elyon envisioned Will with a sword on her side, her right hand on the handle and ready to draw it to defend her mistress.

The Elf couldn't stop herself from walking closer to Will, who was studying herself in the mirror and had her back turned to her. The heiress slowly placed her right index finger on the other girl's spine, just below the collar of the kimono and let the slim digit slowly travel down her spine with the softest of touches. Elyon felt the smaller girl shudder under her touch and she couldn't help the smile playing on her lips.

Will had been very absorbed in studying herself when she felt Elyon trace her spine. Her mistress' touch sent small waves of excitement through her body while she shivered and tried to suppress a moan from fleeing her lips. She succeeded partly as only a small, low gasp escaped her lips. Elyon's finger stopped just above her rear before Will felt a whole hand softly replaced the finger on the small of her back. Unconsciously Will closed her eyes and leaned slightly into the touch, enjoying the friendly touch of another being.

Elyon was surprised when Will leaned into her hand and even more so when she heard a content sigh come form the Drow. 'What the? I am only touching her back.... Why is she acting as if...?' While Elyon mulled over this she slowly removed her hand, eliciting a disappointed whimper from Will. Quickly trying to cover up Elyon thought of a cause for all this and an explanation that would not hurt the fragile girl. "You... better change into something else... Dad wants to see how fit you really are so he knows what he has to teach you."

Will nodded reluctantly as she began to slip off the kimono slowly, already missing the feeling on her skin. Elyon in the meanwhile was stealing more than one glance at the stripping girl. 'Why?! Why can't I get her out of my mind?! I have seen others in less and it hasn't effected me this much!' Elyon quickly buried those thoughts and what they would lead to under mountains of other things while she collected the unused clothes... before dumping them in a corner of her room. 'I can take care of that later.'

Will was just throwing on her vest when a new thought hit Elyon. "Will, bring along your traveling gear. Most of the battling outside of training will happen on the road so it would probably be bets if Dad knew what you wear then." Will nodded as she quickly scoped up said clothes and turned to Elyon, her eyes shining with determination. 'She found something in her that motivates her. Very good; that will help her training immensely.'

Will was reviewing the last few days while she went over her task slowly. She had never been a friend of sudden changes as they normally meant something bad but here.... here change felt good.... change felt right. Will turned around, clothes neatly folded in her arms and nodded at Elyon before both girls went to leave the room.

While they walked through the house Elyon saw that Will was walking slightly behind her and on the left, keeping her gaze downcast and she frowned at this. Not liking it Elyon swiftly placed a hand on the smaller girl's back and pushed her forward a bit, bring both of them at the same high. Will looked up and sent Elyon a short, soft smile that Elyon answered with a smile on her own.

They walked in comfortable silence, Elyon leading the way outside and into the backyard of the mansion. The middle held a large dueling area that was raised a couple of feet above the ground and of the same hexagonal shape as the house. A running track circled the dueling ring as well as a couple of weapons pedestals that held all kinds of different weapons. In the center of the ring stood Zaden, dressed in his typical armor, waiting patiently for the girls. In truth he had expected to wait longer for them; he knew how long his daughter could take deciding on clothes but their rather early arrival made him smile a little.

He looked Will up and down quickly, admitting in his mind that she indeed looked the part of a Hexblade even now. "Good to see you're both here.... How are you doing Will?" "I'm... fine Sir. I am who I am, no chance of changing that so I might as well get the best out of it." Zaden was impressed with Will's answer, "That's one mature way of thinking; and a good one to boot." He motioned for the bundle of clothes in her arms, "What are those?" "Clothes she intends to wear if we travel. I thought it would do well if you knew about that so I had her bring them along," answered Elyon while she studied Will from the corner of her eyes.

Zaden nodded as he focused his eyes back on Will. "Good thinking Elyon. Now Will.... you will need to chose a weapon of some kind before I can train you at all. Take a look at those; we have most weapons except for some very exotic types or some that you wouldn't be able to wield at all due to your build. Look around, try some of them out and see if you can find something fitting." He watched how Will and Elyon hurried off after Will placed the clothes in her arms on one of the edges of the ring. He watched Will's movements in a way a seasoned fighter did while also thinking about a basic style to teach her.

'She moves fast and precise. She avoids unnecessary movements all together. She seems stronger than her age and build suggest.... she won't be someone to charge in head on as long as she uses that head of hers.... though should someone threaten people close to her she could loose her cool.' He watched the young Drow pull a Longsword from one of the pedestals and examining it. 'Blade 3 feet, handle a ¾' foot; a typical Longsword. No real surprise if you think about it though with her heritage I would have though she'd choose a smaller weapon.'

Will had taken the sword by a mere stroke of chaos but as soon as she put one hand on the handle she felt something pulse through her body as if her body had knowledge it shouldn't have. She pulled the sword from its sheath and held it with both hands, weighting it before doing a few swings and the sheathing it again. "A wise choice Will." Startled by the sudden voice so close behind her, Will spun around and as if she had used it since she could walk drew the blade with her right hand.

Zaden took a quick step backwards as he saw Will draw the sword like a seasoned swordswoman, something he thought impossible. "Easy there Will," said Zaden as he held up his hands in a surrendering position. He saw red tint Will's cheeks as she quickly sheathed the weapon again, looking at him sheepishly. "I'm sorry Sir.... I... I don't know what got into me....." Zaden waved her off , "No harm done. But enough chatter, time to get this on the road."

He motioned for the two to follow him as he walked around the ring. "Will, you are already pretty fast, something that probably developed out of necessity. You seem able to think quickly and your strength isn't too bad. The first thing we need to do is build up more stamina as well as some strength training. After that we will work on a basic style while we wait for him." Elyon tilt her head slightly to the side, giving her father a curious look, "Who are you talking about Dad?" "Someone who, if he agrees to come, you Will will love for what he can teach you but hate him for the way he does it. Now.... where did I put it again....?"

His gaze scanned the ring's edge before his eyes fell on something that hang down the side. "Ah, there it is. Follow me." he motioned for the two to keep following him. "Will, we two will train twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening, each time ranging from two hours to as long as I see fit. And during all of this you will be wearing this." They had reached the thing that hang at the ring and he held it out to Will with both hands. Will gulped a bit as she saw what the man held: a heavy looking Chain Shirt that had the man's arms tremble just a little bit. She looked up at him, her eyes showing utter disbelief, " You... you.... you CAN'T be serious. This thing is way too heavy for me. I will barely be able to move in this thing!" "That's the idea." "WHAT?!" Will was staring at him in shock and just a hint of anger sparked in her eyes.

"Maybe I should explain," said Zaden with a small smirk, loving to torment the poor girl. "Due to its weight this Chain Shirt serves more than one purpose. For one it will force your body to build up muscles faster than it normally would. Two, it will cause you to use more energy to do something while wearing it what will help build up some stamina. Third, should you choose to wear a lighter armor in battle it will show that you can move faster than in this Shirt, given time of course. While those three things are pretty obvious if you think about it there is also a smaller, hidden advantage. Long battles tend to put a huge strain on your body, causing pain that normally would distract you what in turn would make you perform less well. Being used to performing with sore muscles, what this undoubtedly will, pain in real battle will have less of an impact on your fighting style."

Will mulled over Zaden's words, seeing the sense in them clearly but at the same time she did not like that Zaden seemed to enjoy this a bit too much. Elyon stood a bit on the sidelines, trying to hide a smirk behind her hand. 'Poor Will. She will be so sore tonight she will wish she died. It is just like back when Dad started to train me.'

Will by now had resigned herself to this though she was still unhappy with it, "Fine! I'll do it." Zaden smirked at her, "Good. Elyon, please help her into this after she has changed in her traveling clothes, would you?" "Sure thing Dad." Elyon pushed Will's bundle of clothes in her arms while she herself took the armor from her father and then directed the younger girl towards a small cabin in the back of the backyard.

Once inside Will saw that it was a divided changing room with a couple of lockers on the walls as well as a small bench. Elyon opened a locker and pulled out a white, thick cotton shirt before handing it to Will, "Put this on first, then I help you into the Chain Shirt and then put on your normal top." "Is your dad always like this," asked Will with a soar expression as she stripped out of her casual clothes. "He is behaving at the moment. From now on he will let you run laps for being late for training or if you don't finish something to his satisfaction." Will groaned in displeasure as she pulled the thick shirt over her head and then looked at Elyon.

Elyon couldn't help the smirk that split her face as she walked closer to Will, holding up the Chain Shirt, "Up with your arms." Will sighed as she put her arms high into the air before Elyon slipped the Shirt her her head and Will quickly moved her arms through the sleeves and then her head pocked out of the mass of metal. Elyon was still supporting the weight of the armor when suddenly a she grinned darkly and let it suddenly drop on the other girl's shoulders.

Will posture slumped visibly as the full weight crashed down on her and a groan passed her lips. "Your father is one sadistic bastard." Elyon simply smiled, "You say that now and every other day but in the end you will be thankful once you had a real fight." Will's only reply was another groan as she rolled her shoulders, trying to get used to the added weight as quickly as possible as they walked back outside after she put on her normal top.

Once outside Zaden mustered the girl and the way she seemed to drag her feet a bit under the added weight. "We'll start off light for now. Give me 20 laps around the ring. No stopping or slowing down before you're done. You do it anyways and I give you another lap for each time." Will's eyes widened comically as she estimated each lap to be roughly a 1/5 mile. Zaden smirked sadistically, "You have 10 seconds to start before I add another 10 laps right now." Suddenly Will was off like an arrow and running like a Baalspawn was after her.

-----Destiny commands All----

Three hours later around noon Will dragged herself up the stairs, Elyon walking next to her and supporting the younger girl. "Not bad for your first time," commented Elyon as she guided Will towards the bathing room. "Not bad she says, "muttered Will, "Not bad my unfeeling ass." "My such colorful language." The two looked up and saw Weira walk towards them with a soft smile on her lips, showing sympathy for the poor Drow. "Zaden's 101 on Pain?" "Yes," mumbled Will, feeling every muscle in her body scream in pain. "Take a hot soak to lessen the pain and loosen your muscles a bit. Afterwards we have lunch and in the afternoon you will be all mine."

Will's eye snapped open in fright as she stared at the older woman who could only laugh slightly at the girl. "Don't worry. No physical exercise with me. It's time that I teach you the basics of arcane casting before he comes, if he does at all." "Again. Who is 'He'," asked Elyon irritated. "Oh, no one. Just someone we contacted to maybe teach Will alongside us. But now off you go Will and take that bath, you earned it."

Weira strode down the corridor while Elyon led Will further towards the bathing room, "You know, I could give you a massage to lessen the pain. I am not as good as Mom but it's better than nothing." Will looked at Elyon in surprise for a short moment but then she shook her head. "No. I appreciate the thought but... I want to do this on my own." Elyon smiled at this, knowing that Will's new determination would carry her a long way if she could keep it up.

Not much later Will was sitting in the hot water, feeling her muscles loosen up while her whole body seemed to sigh deeply. 'THIS is life!' Will closed her eyes and leaned backwards, letting the hot water work its magic on her body while she slowly drifted in a half awake state. She would have fully fallen asleep had her stomach not acted up this very moment. Will quickly got out of the water, toweled off and dressed in her casual clothes, forgoing her chest bindings after the ninth failed attempt to put them on on her own.

Will was back on her way to Elyon's room when she was stopped by a young girl, barely six summers young. The girl looked at her with a mix of awe and fear while she stuttered, "T-the Lady h-ha-s asked f-or y-ou to be le-d i-nto th-e di-nnin-g ro-om." Will nodded silently while motioning for the girl to lead the way, knowing that anything she could say would just frighten the girl even more. The two quickly walked through the large house, quickly reaching the ground floor and the main hall where the girl led Will under the stairway and towards a pair of large oaken doors. The girl gave a bow and motioned for the door. Will gave the girl a small smile as she looked up again before she softly riffled her brown hair and then walked into the dinning room. The girl stood routed to the spot for a few moments before she darted off, a confused look on her face.

On the inside Will took in the large and bright room, a hexagonal shaped table in the middle that could easily fit a dozen people. Weira, Zaden and Elyon were already seated and Elyon motioned for Will to sit on her left where another set of cutlery was laid out. Will sat down slowly and let her eyes travel the table, taking in the silvery cutlery, crystal glasses and porcelain tureens. "Enjoy the meal while you can," smirked Zaden from Will's far right, "You will need all the energy you can get." Will gulped fearfully as two servants opened the tureens and served the food.

Will looked down at her plate and was in awe at how loaded it was: meat, vegetables, potatoes, noodles and a light sauce and a side dish of fresh salad. To Will this was a meal for Gods. She waited impatiently for someone to start eating, the delicious smell tempting her nostrils greatly and causing her stomach to rumble loudly. The last elicited a small laugh from the three Elves and Weira finally spoke up, "Dig in Will." Not needing to be told twice Will picked up the cutlery and tried to imitate the finer arts of eating she had seen in her early life. The Ilvarens watched with satisfaction that Will had a solid though sloppy grasp on table manners when they started to eat themselves.

Will ate very slowly despite her hunger, savoring the taste of every food with delight. All she wanted to do was gobble down everything but she wanted to show her masters that she had manners, no matter how little they were. She paused as a servant filled her glass with a ruby red liquid and she slowly recognized the smell. 'It's called.... what was it again? .... Wine.' She looked around and saw Elyon take small sips of her own drink and went to imitate her. She slowly moved the glass towards her lips, giving the drink a discrete sniff. Weira caught the action and smiled slightly at the Drow's antics. 'She tries to make a good impression by imitating Elyon. She's a clever one. I believe teaching her will be fun.'

The rest of lunch passed in a comfortable silence. Will was about to ask Weira something about her lessons when a tapping sound was heard from one of the very large windows that led outside and all four Elves looked up. What they saw made Will and Elyon gasp loudly while Weira spoke in a calm but surprised tone, "Already? That was very fast."

Sitting outside on the windowsill sat something neither Will nor Elyon had ever expected to see: a small red dragon! It had the size of a large dog, oversized wings sprouting from it's back while a line of spikes went from the middle of it head, down its spine and tail. They saw a collar adoring the magical beast's neck as it tapped the window with its left claw's talons. Weira stood up and opened the window wide before stepping back as the dragon flew into the room, doing a few rounds over the table before landing on the backrest of the chair on Will's left. The young girl stared at the dragon in awe and the dragon stared suddenly right back at her. With a startled gasp Will saw the eyes of the magical creature: coal black orbs, red irises and slitted black pupils stared into her eyes and penetrated into her very soul.

The young dragon then broke the eye contact and looked at Weira who was stepping closer. Its tail moved towards its collar before it retrieved a small scroll from it and 'handed' it over to Weira. Weira took it and quickly broke the seal before reading the short letter before looking up at her husband with surprise evident on her face. "He agreed; to both." "What?! No conditions?!" "Nothing of that nature. It only says: "Proposal accepted; I'll be there in around 20 days. Make sure to teach her the basics until then". There is nothing else." "Strange... that's so unlike him."

While the two adults spoke Will and Elyon were still looking at the dragon, who in turn stared at the plates on the table. Will followed its line of sight and she saw it staring at the plate of meat. Slowly Will reached for one of the larger pieces and the held it out for the beast to take it. The dragon tilt its head to the side a bit, giving it an almost cute appearance as it looked like it was contemplating to take the treat or not. All of the sudden the beast leaned forward and swiftly took the meat out of Will's hands, bearing a jaw filled with sharp and pointed teeth. It gulped the food down without much chewing before looking back at Will with those intense eyes.

Will held the gaze, although only barely without flinching when the dragon leaned in again, licking Will's fingers clean of the sauce stuck on them. Will shivered as the very rough tongue moved over her skin but she held her hand steady, afraid the dragon would bite her if she moved. After the dragon stopped it looked once more at Will before it spread its wings and took flight out of the room and high into the sky.

Will slumped in her seat as she placed her left hand on her racing heart. "Good Gods.... those eyes," whispered Will as memories were flashing before her eyes. "What about its eyes," asked Elyon worriedly. Will looked up at the three, her voice barely above a whisper. "I have seen that kind of eyes before.... A few days before I was caught.... a man saved me... and he had the same eyes...."

Weira and Zaden looked like they had been struck by lightning, staring at Will with wide eyes. Both of their thoughts were going down the same line, 'What. The. Hell?!'

Weira was the first capable to speak of the two after the shock wore off. "Well... that is truly... surprising news Will..." "Mom, how is that even possible," asked Elyon as she swirled the wine in her glass a bit. Weira hesitated shortly before she answered her daughter. "There are... actually a few options how that could happen.... One would be that the man Will speaks off was in truth a polymorphed dragon; another would be that the man was a descendant of a dragon and a human, a so called Bloodline carrier; and lastly it could have been a Red Dragon Disciple, a Sorcerer that has awoken his draconic blood to the fullest." "So... no matter what is the truth... the man would be a very powerful individual," asked Will while looking at Weira, seeing the woman smile slightly. "You are very right on that. But enough for now, it's time to teach you the basics of the Arcane." She clapped her hands once and two servants began to clean the table while she and Will stood up and left for the study.

-----Destiny commands All----

The late evening found Will once more in the bathing room, taking another hot bath while recalling the day. 'Zaden truly is one sadistic bastard, letting me do 15 laps more because I was a bit late.' Will popped her back, her arms above her head when her vertebras gave an audible sound. 'At least Weira goes easier on me. I always thought spells were complicate and all that but it's a rather easy concept. And those Hexblade spells sound very interesting.'

Will took a deep breath and submerged fully into the water, weaving her hands through her hair. She felt small knots loosen with ease as the sweat was rinsed out. When she came back up she let her body float on the water for a bit, staring at the ceiling as she thought how her life had taken a turn for the worse only to make another 180° turn again.

Deciding that she had spent enough time in the water Will pulled herself out of the pool and quickly toweled off before slipping into a dark red, silken robe Elyon had given to her. It was official from that day on that Will LOVED the feel of silk on her bare skin, to her it was a small piece of heaven.

Will swiftly left the bath and walked back to Elyon's and in turn her room. She knocked softly, not wanting to walk in on anything. A soft "Come in" rang from the inside and Will entered the room. She was greeted with the sight of Elyon clad in a white nightgown lying with her stomach down on her bed, flipping through the pages of a book lazily. Elyon looked up at Will, giving her a small smile that Will mirrored before closing the book and sliding off the bed, "Do you still have some energy left?" "A bit, why do you ask?" Elyon motioned for the balcony where two chairs and a small table stood, "Let's talk for a bit." Will nodded and the two walked outside and the Drow noticed two glasses and a carafe of wine standing on the table.

Both teens sat down and Elyon filled their glasses before folding her hands in her lap, looking over the lush tree tops and past them at the city. Will kept silent, stealing glances at Elyon and marveling at the Elf's.... royal profile. Her platinum-blond hair, pale tan and silvery eyes gave her and unearthly beauty in Will's eyes, a beauty she could drown herself in. Will's cheeks lit up in a slight red at those thoughts though it went unnoticed due to her dark skin.

Elyon in turn wondered how she could break it to Will that tomorrow could be... difficult. Deciding that she should just come out with it honest and direct Elyon picked up her glass and drank it down in one go before taking a deep breath. "Will... there is something about tomorrow that you should know about..." She turned to look at Will and saw that she had the total attention of the other girl. "I'll have a couple of friends come over tomorrow.... and I am not sure... how they will react to you and your blood... Two of them are normally open but..."

Will listened while her heart sank deeper and deeper. "So... you want me to... stay out of sight....," whispered Will, her voice thick with pain and sadness as she looked away from the other girl.

Elyon's eyes widened in shock as she quickly spun around to the Drow while she reached with her left hand for her, "NO!! That's not it!" Will slowly turned back, her hair falling into her face and covering her eyes. "I... I just... wanted to warn you.... to prepare you for it....," mumbled Elyon as her arm dropped at her side. "I wanted to tell... not to let it get to you..." She looked away from Will, guilt heavy on her mind, heart and soul.

Will looked at Elyon, seeing the raw emotion playing on her face. She wanted to comfort the other Elf, wanted to show her that it was alright but she didn't know how. She had once observed something similar but.... was this the right time? 'I have nothing to lose in the long run,' thought Will as she took hold of Elyon's left hand, placing it against her right cheek before closing her eyes and rubbing her cheek against the other girl's palm.

Elyon had tried to ignore Will taking her hand but as she felt the soft skin under her fingers she turned to look at the Drow. The sight of her hand against Will's cheek was... she didn't know what to call it. All she knew was that she loved the feel of Will's skin against her own. She brushed her thumb softly over Will's cheekbone, getting a small smile from the Drow. Golden-brown met sliver-white as Will opened her eyes and time seemed to stop around them.

Both girls felt a small tingle of Arcane magic around them, weaving around them and forming a connection. Neither of them could move a single muscle, might as they tried the couldn't even blink. Suddenly their bodies started to move on their own, Elyon's hand falling from Will's cheek before taking her hand and leading her inside.

Their bodies moved as if in trance towards Elyon's bed, both girls unable to stop themselves or even understand what was happening. Elyon threw back the covers before crawling into the middle of the bed, taking Will with her. In the middle of the large bed Elyon lay done on her right side and pulled Will closer. She pulled the smaller girl's back against her chest, Will's head coming to rest on Elyon's outstretched right arm before said appendage bent and the hand rested on Will's left shoulder. Will's own right hand came to rest on Elyon's, their finger intertwining as Elyon's left arm snaked around Will's waist, pulling the girl even closer. Will's left hand reached behind her, seizing the thigh of Elyon's left leg and pulled it over her hips, trapping the other girl's ankle between her own thighs, Will's hand slowly rubbing over Elyon's soft flesh.

The minds of both girls grew foggy and their eyelids became heavy as they slowly drifted off to sleep. Seconds before their awareness left them they had the same line of thought, 'This... is nice....' Conscious finally left them and the snuggled closer into each other in their sleep.

Roughly 150 feet away from the girls' room stood a cloaked figure on one of the higher branches in the trees, its view perfect for observing the room and balcony as well as what just transpired. A rustle of leaves caused the figure to turn slightly to its left, coming face to face with an irritated looking Weira. "Is this your doing," snapped the Elf as she crossed her arms over her chest and nodded sharply towards the room. "Ehehehehe, you know full well that I am not capable of something like this," answered a male voice with a chuckle. "What are you doing here anyway? You said you'd arrive in 20 days," asked Weira still glaing at the male. "I called in a few favors. After I saw through the hatchlings' eyes I knew I had to come sooner."

Weira shot the male a hard glare as she raised her right hand that was cracking with lightning, "Spill." "Weira, please. We both know that while you're powerful in your own right that such low level spells won't work on me." The male leaned his head back a bit, chuckling softly, "But I will tell you this to soothe your mind: it is time for the next Child to be taught." Weira's cheeks paled and she took a step back, forgetting that she was standing in a tree. Before she could give voice to her surprise to loose ground under her feet a hand shout out, moved around her waist and pulled her back on the branch.

"I will come around in two weeks, maybe a bit earlier; make sure she knows what she does by then." Weira sighed before she opened a blue portal on her left, "We will make sure of it." as soon as Weira was gone the male looked one last time at the room, pale rays of the moon revealing black-red eyes to the night, "So the time has finally come."

-----Destiny commands All----

And yet ANOTHER mysterious person. just what is going on here? who are they and WHY are they interested in Will? only time will tell.....

- Nelo Akuma


	6. Meeting new People

Good Day Ladies and Gentlemen.

it's April the 1st and time for the next chapter of 'Child of twisted Destiny'. Today Will will meet the rest of the girls; hopefully they will accept her.

**firemind **made a valid point with his/her (?) review: Will comes out of her shell very quickly considering that her race is shunned and hated and she has been exposed to this hate. the answer to this is rather simple: Arcane. A strange bond has been formed between Will and Elyon from the first moment their eyes met and this bond gives Will the strength to open up. on some abstract level she knows that she can trust Elyon, and in turn her parents, even if her experiences tell her not to trust. the bond though made her take the gamble, for better or for worse.

now, thanks for reviewing go to **firemind, Carlalalita **and **XV-Dragon**(again i advice to read his story 'The Shunned One'). keep in mind: reviews make me happy and motivate me.

now, enjoy the show.

-----Destiny commands All----

The morning rays of the sun flooded the Ilvaren's estate, giving rise to activity. In a room of the eastern side of the building two girls were slowly awoken from their peaceful slumber. The young Drow was the first to stir, her mind becoming instantly awake as she felt another body wrapped around her own. Platinum blond hair was spilled all over her field of vision and last nights events crashed down of her full force. Her face lit up in a bright scarlet as she slowly removed her left hand from its intimate resting place on the other girls thigh, eliciting a small whimper from her partner.

Subconsciously snuggling closer into the embrace Wills mind tried to put reason in all this. 'How did this happen? I.... I won't deny that... it feels nice but...' A small yawn and hot air tickling her sensitive ear alerted her to the waking of her partner. Will quickly covered the hand that was resting on her stomach with her own, keeping it there while her other hand tightened the grip on its counter part and now she waited for her partner to fully arise.

Elyon's mind ascended from the darkness that was sleep, feeling warm, rested and happy. She yawned lightly and moved to stretch her arms above her head like she did every morning but today her arms wouldn't move. Opening one eyes she was faced with a sea of red hair and memories of the last night slowly flowed back into her mind. "Oh Red Knight.... What...." Her whispered words were stopped by the soft but shy voice coming from the smaller Elf. "Elyon.... please hear me out before you move....." Elyon nodded into Will's hair, feeling the smaller girl shiver a bit.

"Elyon, I... don't know what came over us last night..... but... but I know... that this night.... I felt safe in your arms... as if I am needed for the first time in my life.... I... I... know... that what I am about to ask.... is... is... overstepping my boundaries but.... please.... I beg you.... can we... sleep like this..... from now on.... together.....?" Elyon's heart skipped at least several beats, her mind reading "ERROR!". Before Elyon could even form a coherent thought in her mind Will continued. "I know that.... I am asking for so much.... something.... something so intimate.... but please.... I beg you to consider it....." And in a voice that was barely audible to Elyon even though they were hardly inches apart Will added, "If you even can... consider letting someone.... as filthy as me this close to you....."

Elyon heart felt like an icy claw grabbed it in a vice grip, flinching inwardly at the pain, hurt, insecurity and only the slightest sliver of hope in the Drow's last words. 'This is wrong... We shouldn't be in this position.... we barely know each other.... but.... why does it feel so.... right? To hold her...... be this close to her.....' She looked at the back of the younger girl, seeing tense muscles and she could only guess the pained expression that must be displayed on Will's face. 'I.... I can't.... She asks for so much.... but.... but....' Once more Elyon looked at the very tense girl and her mind was made up. "Go back to sleep, it's barely past sunrise," whispered Elyon in a soft voice as she closed her eyes, tightening the hold she had on the smaller girl.

Will's heart soared to the skies, her smile so radiant that it would cause the sun to turn green in envy. Warm tears dropped from her closed eyes as she slowly took Elyon's hand from her shoulder and brought it to her lips, softly kissing the open palm, the only way she knew to express her thanks. Will felt how Elyon nuzzled into her neck, hot air tickling her skin. Both girls drifted back into sleep, warm and serene smiles on their faces.

Unnoticed by the two a robed figure had stood on the balustrade of the balcony, observing the whole scene with a small smile. The figure nodded to itself as it took a step backwards, dropping from the balcony. The figure landed in a crouched position without a sound or any sign of pain from the fall. "Spying on them again?" The figure spun around to the voice and came face to face with one annoyed looking Weira. "If you were anyone else you would be dead for your actions."

The figure chuckled lightly, taking a relaxed stance as he looked at Weira, "Dear Lady, what are you accusing me of? I simply wish to know more about my soon to be ward and that includes your daughter as it seems." Weira sighed, knowing that she could not win a battle of words with this man. She looked up at the balcony, her eyes shining with worry, "How do you think things will go with them?"

The man tilt his head slightly, "Who do you mean? Those two? Or those that will be coming soon?" "Both," whispered Weira, not surprised that the man knew about Elyon's friends coming. The man sighed softly, now too looking up at the balcony, "I honestly don't know. The two of them are growing closer, how close I dare not to predict. For those four.... they are good children from what I hear.... but fear and hate can run very deep...." "So no easy path for her once more," asked Weira in a soft voice. "Would it suit her personality if it was? I dare say no. Her life will be filled with hardship, scorn and hate.... but you can help her... be there for her.... be what she lost in the past..."

The two stood in silence for a couple of minutes before the man turned back to the Elf, "Would you mind me staying around?" "Would it stop you if I said no," questioned Weira back dryly. "Ahahaha, probably not," laughed the man softly, "But only because I rarely show them doesn't mean I don't have manners. These two times were out of necessity to satisfy my curiosity; from now on it would be trespassing. By all means I should apologize but if I truly will do as you asked me to I need to learn more."

Weira sighed softly, rubbing her left temple to soothe the coming headache, "I see your point but still.... I only ask of you to give them their privacy and not pry into things." The man's posture straighten and a dangerous edge appeared in his voice, "What do you take me for Ilvaren? I am not some petty pervert. I stand to all my flaws but I WON'T accept this label." Weira took a sudden step backwards, feeling a dangerous warmth stream from the man and she knew she had passed onto dangerous grounds.

"I didn't mean to insult you... I am..." She stopped and sighed in defeat, knowing that she could not place in words what she felt. A hand on her shoulder caused her to look up at the man standing before her and she could no longer feel the dread radiating off him. "I understand your motives but you must be careful how you word them. We have known each other for a long time but even you should know that I take some things very badly." She nodded as the man stepped backwards and into the shadows cast the the balcony above, "Now I take my leave. Take care of them, old friend." And with a spark of Arcane he was gone. Weira stared at the spot where he had stood and sighed, "I will old Fire, I will."

-----Destiny commands All----

Two hours later found the two young Elves sitting in the dining room enjoying a healthy breakfast, both dressed in the same, or in Elyon's case, similar clothes from the day before. Will was nervously shifting on her seat, dreading the moment that would soon come and its following confrontation. Elyon saw this and she too was getting a bit edgy. Try to calm both of their minds she rested a soft hand on the Drow's arm, "Will... please calm down." "Easy for you to say," whispered Will while inwardly wanting little more than to run from the situation.

Before Elyon could console the girl further a servant stepped into the room, "Lady Elyon, you're friends have arrived at the gate." Elyon shot out of her chair and was about to rush out of the room but stopped behind Will, placing her hands on the girl's shoulders, "Please wait here Will. I... I want to speak with them alone first...." Will nodded weakly and then watched Elyon leave the room, her heart pounding like crazy in her chest. If she had a deity to pray to she would do nothing else at the moment.

As Elyon walked into the entrance hall the large portal opened and four girls stepped into the large room. The first was a blond, standing a good 5'5'' above the ground with her hair flowing freely down her back. She wore a plain, short sleeved green dress some some loose pants of equal color. A pair of sturdy but light, brown boots covered her feet as she strode with a confident stride. This was Cornelia Hale, Elyon's oldest and best friend.

Next to Cornelia walked a brunette, her hair stopping just shortly at the hight of her shoulders. She stood around 5'2'' tall, dressed in a blue tunic top, black pants and dark brown, sturdy boots. A Longsword hung on her left hip, swaying back and forth with each step. Her name was Irma Lair, a good friend since a couple of years though Elyon could live without the other girl's sometimes one tracked mind.

Behind the two walked two others. The one on the left was a bluenette with short hair, a single braid adoring her left cheek and her chocolate brown skin stood in strong contrast to her hair. She stood exactly 5 feet tall, her body dressed in a light blue robe, red trimmings and arcane symbols giving some contrast. Light, slippers-like shoes protected her feet as she walked with a flowing stride all Elves possessed. She was pushing a lone strand of hair behind her pointed left ear as she listened to the girl on her right chatter away. This was young Taranee Cook, daughter of Theresa Cook, leading Paladin of Helm's warriors.

And Last but not least another bluenette, the ever bubbly and smiling girl of the small group of friends. Her hair ran down her back in two pigtails, down to her calves and with her being nearly 5'3'' tall it gave her hair a good 4 feet length. Today she wore a bright orange top, dark brown shorts and a bright, neon green skirt. Two butterfly hair clips kept her blue sea from falling into her eyes. Black, long sleeved gloves adored her very nimble fingers and she wore blue half heeled shoes. This was the one and only Hay Lin, the girl with the most nimble fingers Elyon knew and she also had the problem of keeping said fingers out of other peoples' pockets.

Elyon was quickly spotted by her four friends and they smiled at each other. "Hi girls. How are you today?" "Couldn't be better," smiled Hay Lin as she threw her right arm around Elyon's waist. Irma growled at this and delivered a swift slap to the eastern born girl's neck. "Stop it Hay. You promised to never pick pocket any of us." Hay Lin pouted at this and looked at Irma with the most innocent look she could produce, "You're no fun Irmy; it's just in my nature."

The two started to bicker back and forth while the other three looked at them with amusement clearly written on their faces as they stood on the sidelines. "So Elyon, have you managed to convince your parents to let you out of the deal," asked Cornelia, a suppressed laughter clear in her voice. "No I didn't; but by now I don't mind anymore. But you better give her a fair chance or Red Knight may help me."

The bickering stopped at an instant, four pairs of eyes resting on a stern looking Elyon. Taranee slowly pushed her round glasses up her nose as she spoke in a calm voice, "You're quite protective over her already.... But I must say I am not truly surprised by it." Elyon nodded slowly, "I don't know much about her past but she had it hard. I could tell you but I think you better see for yourself." The four were now really curious and followed Elyon into the dinning room.

As they entered they saw a red head standing in front of one of the large windows, looking out into the lush forest surrounding the building with her back to them. The combination of black, blue and red was a bit radical.... but then again, compared to Hay Lin's whims when it came to clothing it looked tame.

"Girls, this is Will. Will, those are Cornelia, Irma, Taranee and Hay." The red head slowly turned to face the group of five and three gasps were heard while Irma snarled and drew her sword, "Filthy Drow!"

Irma went to rush at the girl but suddenly fell flat on her face, the sword slipping out of her fingers. Taranee retracted her foot innocently and before the young human could pick herself up she was pinned by an icy glare from Elyon. "What did I just tell you Irma?" Elyon's eyes were sparking with a cold fire that the girls had rarely seen in her; it was something only visible when she was truly angry.

Surprisingly Cornelia was the first to move as she walked towards Will, mustering the young Drow from head to toe with sharp eyes. Will felt very insecure under the intense stare that the blond human leveled at her but she stood tall, even as the other girl's light blue eyes bore into her own she held the gaze.

The other four stared at the show, Irma even forgetting to stand up from the floor as Cornelia walked a few times around Will. Finally Cornelia stopped in front of Will at arm's length, her face calm and without emotion.

Suddenly a small smile played on her lips and she extended her right hand to Will, "For now I will give you the benefit of doubt because of two things: one, despite being a Drow**,** Nature is calm around you and two, Elyon seems to trust you."

Will was shocked for a few moments, simply staring at the girl before a shy smile parted her lips and she slowly took Cornelia's hand. "Cornelia?! You can't be serious," hissed Irma as she sprung to her feet. "She is a DROW! We all know the stories!" "Exactly," interrupted Taranee while pushing up her glasses. "We heard stories and nothing more; no facts, no own experiences. There are more evil humans than I care to count yet you don't scorn all of humanity for it. Unless Will gives me a cause to say different I will give her the chance to prove herself."

"You too Taranee? You of all people should understand tha-!" The sound of flesh against flesh stopped Irma's rant. Slowly Hay put the glove back on her right hand, giving Irma a disappointed look, "Would you please listen to yourself? You sound like those single minded and idiotic fools you despise so much. Beside that, I can name you at least two Drow that turned from the ways of their people." Irma slowly brought her left hand up to her slowly tinting red cheek as she looked at Hay in shock and... pain.

Elyon still glared at Irma as she slowly pointed at the large door. "Leave. Think about everything you heard and don't return before you have a clear mind." Irma looked shocked at her friend, disbelief in her face visible, "Elyon... you can't mea-" "That is enough young women."

All eyes turned to the voice to demanded respect and their eyes fell on a scowling Weira. The older Elf moved to stand behind Will, placing her hands on her shoulders. "I thought that Anna taught you better than this Irma. Leave." Irma couldn't help but stare at everyone before she silently went to collect her weapon and then left the hall, her head hung low.

As Irma had left the room Will turned to Elyon, her eyes oozing sadness, "I am sorry....." "Don't be," said Elyon, slowly losing her scowl, "She has been warned and she decided to ignore it." But-" No "but" Will." "Elyon is right," said Taranee as she walked closer to the Drow. "Irma can be very thick-headed. Her father is a good man but he does not have an open mind, something that has been imprinted into Irma to a certain degree. She will come around soon enough." Hay suddenly threw her arms around Will's neck from behind and let them hang down the younger girl's chest, "Let's forget about her for now and cause some mischief!"

Will blushed slightly at the intimate contact but soon she noticed a nimble hand sneaking for the pockets of her vest. Not that she possessed anything of value but "old instincts die hard" as they say. Will's left hand seized the sneaky appendage and slightly twisted the wrist outwards, painful but effectively stopping the attempt. The other girls were surprised that Hay Lin had been noticed, let alone stopped.

Hay in turn was smirking as her eyes sparkled, "You're good. You a Rogue too?" Will shook her head no as she let go of the girl's hand, "No; but I had to live on my own for some time and I picked up a few traits." Hay stepped back a bit and grinned brightly, "Maybe we can compare notes so to speak." Will couldn't help but smile as well, "Maybe."

"Come on girls, let's go outside and introduce ourselves to Will," suggested Cornelia as she looked longingly outside. "You still can't stand civilization for long," grinned Elyon as she winked at her friend. "What are you talking about," asked Will, looking from one girl to the other. "Cornelia here is a Druid and... she has problems with staying away from Nature for too long," answered Taranee. "A... Druid...," muttered Will while she looked intently at Cornelia. "Aren't they the casting sisters and brothers of the Rangers?"

Cornelia raised her left eyebrow in surprise at this, "You are right... you surprise me. I never expected to hear that kind of conclusion from anyone." Will smiled sheepishly, "Well... I did some reading on my own class and stumbled upon this definition and I guess it stuck with me." "You're a Druid," shouted three voices while the owners stared at Will. "Huh? Nononono, I am a Ranger. I like nature and all but I could not show the dedication it needs to be a Druid."

"Come on girls, let's relieve Corny of her discomfort and go outside," suggested Elyon with a smile. Hay smiled at this, snatched up Will's and Cornelia's wrists and ran out of the room, the other two girls barely able to keep up with the bubbly Rogue. The three Elves left behind couldn't help but chuckle at the sight. "Things are going to get pretty interesting around here," said Taranee softly. "You have no idea," laughed Elyon as the two moved to follow the other girls. "Mom wants her to go with me to the Academy when the new term starts in three days." Taranee frowned at that, "I only hope nothing will happen to her...." "That is for us to make sure of," said Elyon with conviction as the two left the room.

-----Destiny commands All----

A couple of minutes later found the five of them deep in the woods of the estate, sitting under an old and large tree. Will had her back against the tree and a small smile on her lips while the others sat on the ground or small rocks, Cornelia looking truly at peace.

"So... what are your classes," asked Cornelia while she looked at Will. "You already told us you're a Ranger but I feel there is more to it." "Indeed there is," said Taranee softly, "I can feel a spark of Arcane in her:" "Uuuuh, two classes," said Hay with a grin, "Come on girl, tell us!" Will was unsure, 'If I tell them.... they WILL be afraid.... I... I don't want that....' Drawing a deep breath Will closed her eyes, "You're right. I am also a Hexblade and from what Weira explained to me I am also a Gestalt."

Elyon looked shortly at Will, knowing exactly why she had left out that she was a Warlock as well. But she decided against revealing this. 'Will will tell them when she feels ready.'

"A Hexblade," said Taranee softly. "Very interesting indeed." "Wooooow," said Hay while she stared at Will with sparkling eyes. "You're Bad Luck personified. That's SOOOO coooool." Will rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly, hoping that the girls would forgive her when things would come in the open.

Cornelia looked around the girls, "I think it is only fair if we tell Will our classes in return as well." Elyon smiled softly at this, "You're right. I think I go first. I am a Gestalt like you Will, in the classes of Sorceress as well as Favored Soul." Will adopted a thinking pose, trying to recall the information she had gotten about classes from Weira the day before. "Favored Soul... a Cleric like class.... able to channel divine power with such ease that nearly no studies are needed to perform her spells.... some people think it is because they are imbued with their Deity's power the day they start training as a Cleric.... very much alike a Sorceress with Divine power...."

Elyon smiled softly, "Pretty much. Though I am still young in my specific training." Taranee looked up and spoke with her soft voice, "I am a Wizard, though I am also training to join the ranks of the Arcane Archers." Again Will seemed to think hard before she looked up at Taranee. "Arcane Archers..... archers with the power to imbue there arrows with arcane spells.... they trade in some of their Arcane potential to branch out in their martial potential... known for their superb accuracy and uncanny skill with bows in general...." You've studied well," smiled Taranee, "I couldn't add more to it."

Cornelia leaned her back against the stone she sat against and closed her eyes. "I'm only a Druid, nothing more nothing less." Will nodded, feeling no need to again explain her thoughts on the blond's class. Hay smiled proudly as she was now the center of Will's attention. "I am a Rogue like I said before but I am also a Bard." "Rogues.... master of the unseen skills and hidden traps... The Bard... the teller of Tails and History.... living like a free spirit.... bringing forth their magic through spells and music.... seekers of Lore and Adventure...." Hay grinned broadly at Will's definition, "Yep that's me! But no performance for free, even for my friends."

They all shared a small laugh at Hay's antics when suddenly Will sat bolt upright, her face in horror. "OH NO!!! I totally forget about my training with Zaden!!! Sorry, but I am late as it is!" And with that she rushed off at high speed, leaving three surprised and one giggling teen behind. "You're dad is training her," asked Cornelia. "Sure is. He wants her to not only be my servant but also Guardian. Another cause why they want her to attend to the Academy with me; to learn and to protect." "But she seems to be hiding something," said Taranee suddenly, catching Elyon off guard and causing shock to appear in her face.

The other two saw this and knew that Taranee had once again been right. "You know what it is, right?" asked Taranee while her gaze bore into the Elf that was shifting where she sat. ".... yes I do...." An awkward silence fell over them, even Hay was serious as she spoke, "But you're not going to tell us." It was more a statement than a question. "No.... I can't.... This is hers to tell, not for me to reveal..." The three shared a look before looking back at their friend who seemed torn between them and her new friend. Finally Cornelia broke the silence, her voice calm, "Then we will wait until she tells us." "Thank you," muttered Elyon as she looked up at her friends.

"Enough of this," said Hay suddenly. "From what I heard she will go with us to the Academy so we better figure out a way to keep her out of trouble there." And with that the four fell into loud chatter, talking over all ways the could think of. Things would very soon turn very interesting.

-----Destiny commands All----

It was a dimly lit room that found four people sitting around a massive oaken desk, three on one side and one on the opposite. The lone person was wearing a hooded robe, hiding most of his features from those not sitting in front of him. "Tell me again why we should give you this position when you refuse to show your face," asked one of the three in a male voice. "Because I am under Lady Ilvaren's orders to keep an eye on her daughter's new servant that will soon attend to this Institute. Also you are in a dire need for a teacher in those classes." The man of the group growled low but the woman in the middle sent him a hard glare, "You are right sir, but why would Lady Ilvaren not inform us herself?"

The robed man pulled out a thin folder and handed it to the woman, "Lady Elyon's servant is.... unique for the lack of a better term. Here you can read for yourself just why she will need me watching over her." The three looked over the few information that the folder held and all three frowned, while the so far silent woman seemed close to throwing a fit. "How DARE she try to enroll this abomination into our Institute!"

Before anyone could move the woman was suddenly lifted out of her chair and pressed against a wall by the robed man, a sword covered in a thin layer of fire threatening to slice her throat. "It's because of people like you that I WILL take this position or Baal's Daughter have mercy on your soul." The woman struggled against the man's hold but she was unsuccessful. "Please Mister Raven, lower my subordinate if you would," spoke the second woman in a voice of authority. The man now known as Raven seemed to sent the woman a short glance before releasing his captive and sheathing his weapon, the woman falling to her knees and gasping for air. "I will come again in three days," said Raven in a low voice before he strode out of the room.

The other three seemed to release a breath as he was gone and the unharmed female leaned back in her chair, "This term will be eventful."

-----Destiny commands All----

This is it for today. Quite a lot happened here. Finally at least one of the strangers has a name. and it looks like he will be around Will quite some time; what are his intentions with her?

And Irma seems to be quite taken by the prejudices against Will's race. One can only hope she will make a turn for the better or things could fall apart before they even started.

Some of you may have noticed something in the last part of the chapter so i will adress it right now: yes, the series 'Baldurs Gate' will play some role in this (read: characters from the game might make an appearance). Later on I might also add things from the 'Neverwinter Nights' series as well but that is yet to be decided.

anyway, i hope you enjoyed this chapter so please review and tell me your thoughts.

- Nelo Akuma


	7. What! A Drow in School!

Good Day Ladies and Gentlemen.

I know this update comes later than usual but around here it is just before midnight so i am still within posting schedules.

To answer two of **Bonar**'s questions (i found them important for everyone): 1) how does Will compare to the other girls in terms of combat skills. - Will, while have very good and well shaped instincts and reflexes as well as an uncanny knack for picking up things swiftly, has little to non combat experience. Against each and everyone of the other girls, yes, even the Wizard Taranee, she would loose in close combat. While Will's instincts would make her a challanging opponent, the others have been trained to fight for some timeand simply are better educated.

2) The dagger Will got from the Stranger in Chapter 1: has she gotten it back? - Short answer: No. Long answer: right now only Elyon even knows about the dagger. Neither Will nor Weira or Zaden know that it has been part of the deal Elyon made with the slaver. With all the crazy stuff happening Elyon has simply forgotten about it. While the weapon holds no power like some other artifacts of Fearun, the dagger and it's sheath ARE a recognizeable item in the right circles so yes, it does play a role later on. Keep the letters on the sheath in mind: they will reappear in different form soon enough.

General reviewing thanks go to **XV-Dragon**(i got some more up to date info on the race we two talked about, give me a call if you're interested), **Bonar **and **firemind**.

and now on with the show.

-----Destiny commands All----

It was three days later that found Will walking next to Elyon down the streets of Metamoora. Just yesterday Weira had informed her of the fact that Will would attend to the same school as Elyon, to serve her as well as protect her and learn. 'Why did they not tell me earlier? I barely could sleep last night and probably kept Elyon up as well. What will happen now? How... how will they treat me....? Will I.... even make it through the day?'

Elyon, who must have felt the smaller girl's distress somehow, placed a soft hand on Will's arm, trying to give her some courage. "Relax Will; I assure you that one of us will always be in the same class as you. We will help you." Will gave her a thankful look, feeling slightly better at this.

Not much later they came into sight of the Institute, the large walls encircling a huge area. The building itself was made of red stone, three stories high and in size bigger than the Ilvaren mansion. At the large iron gate stood Cornelia, Taranee and Hay, waiting for the two Elves to join them. Irma was nowhere in sight but... the brunette had still to come around. "Good morning you two! Ready for a new term of trivial information and sleep spells," greeted Hay them loudly and with a bright smile.

Elyon smiled genuine while Will could barely manage a half smile. The three friends were dressed in very different clothes than the last time Will had seen them, just like she herself had been advised to wear her traveling gear as the Academy would also include physical training for some of them. Cornelia wore something that looked like a full body, two piece Leather Armor in a green-brown color, black boots and a dark green traveling cloak over it. Having learned that Cornelia actually lived in a small Druid's grove outside of the city walls Will had expected her to wear something like this.

Taranee didn't look much different compared to three days prior: a blue colored robe with silver and white trimming, a black leather belt that held a thick spell book to her right side, and a dark blue cape of sorts. A small pendant hang around her neck, a small ruby let into the silvery metal. Besides that Taranee looked not much different.

Hay had made a 180 with her choice of colors it seemed. She wore a dark black, full body Studded Leather Armor, a belt that held several lock picking tools, tools to disable traps and other obviously roguish items. Black, sneaker like shoes that seemed very easy to move in and dark red, skin tight gloves completed the look. But Will's sharp eyes caught some metal glint on Hay's upper arms and she guessed that the other girl had a few throwing knifes on herself.

Will looked to her side at Elyon and took in the changed wardrobe once again. Gone was the flowing, light colored dress and replaced with a whitened Chain Shirt that seemed lighter than the one Will wore for training. A cream colored tunic top, white pants, a white cape with a red chess knight stitched to the back and and sturdy white boots completed the outfit. Will had been surprised to see her mistress in such tomboyish clothes, let alone such an armor when she was just going to school but as she looked around the front yard of the school Will saw a lot of people wearing metal armor. She guessed that the school suggests to wear battle ready clothes to improve the training.

As Will looked around she was very nervous and fiddled around with her chocker, making once again sure that the metal plate was in plain sight. Even during the walk here Will had gotten several dark looks and many peasants had barely been able to suppress their urge to attack the young Drow, only the presence of Elyon and the chocker stopping them. Already she could feel dozens of eyes on her as she stood with the other four and her sharp ears picked up silent whisperings about her from all around.

"Come on girls, first class starts in less than a few moments," said Taranee as she looked up at the sun, gauging how much time they had left. "Then we should hurry," said Elyon as the five slowly walked down the road towards the main gate of the Institute, the four taking Will into their middle. Will was very thankful for this as the closer they got to the building the more numerous the stares at her back grew.

All five could hear the whispering around them as they stood in the large main hall and headed for a huge board that was pinned to the wall next to the stair case that was leading to the upper rooms. Will tried her hardest not to look at her feet, knowing that only a semi-confident look could save her from taunts right now; also it would hide her choker and she NEEDED the other students to see it. "Oh, I nearly forgot: I need to take Will to the office and get her schedule," said Elyon as they read over the large board, trying to find the right rooms. "We'll see you later at lunch," called Hay after the two as they walked into the west wing of the building.

As the two walked down the corridors Will stepped closer to Elyon, fearing the stares and sneers she got. Elyon in turn glared at everyone that looked at Will with disdain and most of her targets schooled their faces in neutrality though their eyes still spoke volumes of their thoughts. Soon the two reached the door to an office and Elyon knocked twice. "Enter," sounded a aged female voice through the door and Elyon stepped inside, Will directly behind her.

They now stood in a large office, an oaken desk ahead of them and a round lady with half moon glasses, white hair and glad in dark violet robes of an arcane caster sat at the desk, shuffling through several papers. Glancing at them over the rim of her glasses the woman addressed the two with an enervated voice, "Just a moment girls." "Of course Miss Knickerbocker," said Elyon respectfully as the two simply stood before the principal and waited.

After several moments and a few muttered words of choice the elderly woman looked up and for the first time really took in the two girls in front of her. "Ah, Miss Elyon. I take it she is your servant that your mother informed me of?" "Yes Ma'am," said Elyon evenly. The round woman stood up and walked around the desk to stand in front of Will, leveling a sharp look at the young Drow. "What is your name young lady?" "Will Ma'am," answered Will with a half steady voice, trying hard to meet the gaze of the principal. The woman nodded as she turned back to her desk and searched through the papers, "Young Will, no matter what I personally may think of your race I will give you a fair chance. Lady Ilvaren has made it clear that you don't necessarily need passing grades to advance with Elyon as you will receive private tutoring as well. You are still required to attend to a set number of classes over the time of the term and you WILL take part in any test."

The woman turned back to Will and handed her a small scroll that Will took carefully and opened. She saw a schedule for the week, taking note of the different classes she would have and the time she would spent in the Institute. "We have arranged for you to be always in the same class as Miss Elyon due to numerous reason but the two you need to know about are: the fact that you are her servant and that the Classes Lady Ilvaren told us to be your own cover the same aspects as Miss Elyon's. And a word of advice: DON'T start anything or get dragged into things that would get you into trouble. Many of the teaching body haven't reacted very well to a Drow enrolling this term. There is ONE teacher you can trust and said one will reveal himself in due time. Also... the other teachers except for me and vice-principal Collins don't know what Classes you hold. It is YOUR choice what you tell them and what not."

The woman looked at Will and the young girl was sure she saw a spark of warmth in her eyes, "You will have it rough enough; be careful who you trust." "I will keep that in mind Ma'am," muttered Will as she looked at her feet. "Very well; then I suggest that you girls get to class." "Good day Ma'am," said the two in one voice before leaving the office.

-----Destiny commands All----

A bit later found Elyon and Will standing in front of a door in the third floor, sounds of activity penetrating from the room. "First class: Arcane Users and their History," muttered Will as she read the plate on the door. Remembering something that Weira had told her Will stepped towards the door and opened it wide for Elyon.

The chatter inside the room died down as the door opened and the whole class looked at it. As they saw a red headed girl with ashen black skin open it many made the connection and a collective sneer developed throughout the class with very few exceptions. Those exceptions were Hay and Taranee, sitting in one of the double banks at the left wall of the room. The other pupils were about to shout a lot of words of choice at the red head when they saw the Ilvaren heiress walk inside, giving a quick nod towards the red head. The red head looked up and now everyone saw choker around her throat. Chuckles and small fires of talk erupted from the class in general as they realized why this abomination was in one room with them.

Elyon waved shortly at her two friends in class before moving the last free bank right in front of the teacher's desk and sat down with Will on her right, keeping her head low. It was something the two had talked about last night. While other students were around Will would keep a low profile and act like she truly was a slave in the service of Elyon. It was easier that way and would cause less questions to be asked. As Elyon looked up she saw that there was already a teacher in the room, a middle aged woman glad in arcane robes of dark purple and light pink, her black hair pulled up in single bun on the back of her head. The woman's eyes narrowed at Elyon and Will, and her distaste was clear, "How considerate to join us Miss Ilvaren." "Miss Toots," answered Elyon coldly, leveling the same glare she got at the woman.

'What is she doing here? She is the teacher for Advanced Arcane, not for this class. Something is not right here,' thought Elyon bitterly as she held the glaring contest with the teacher.

Will was in deep thought, thoughts that had nothing to do with the situation at hand. Her mind was taking her down Memory Lane back to the night three days ago. The night Elyon and her had slept in one bed with both in control of their bodies for the first time.

Flashback

Will had just returned from her evening bath after training with Zaden, once more clad in the red robe from the night before. She was shifting on the spot, uncertain and afraid even. Elyon was already lying in bed, covered partially while lying on her side and flipping through a book. 'What.... what have I gotten myself into? What DEVIL possessed me when I asked her this morning,' ranted Will in her mind as she was get more nervous with every second.

"What is the matter?" Elyon's low and calm voice cut into Will's mind with easy and the young Drow gazed shyly at her partner. Elyon was giving her a raised eyebrow, still lying on her side. Will hesitated, unsure if... if she could go through with this.... Last night had been different... tonight... things were more difficult....

Elyon saw the hesitation and hint of fear in Will's eyes and could relate somehow. She herself was nervous about this but she had accepted Will's proposal this morning and she would go through with it. "Come on Will, tomorrow will not be easy so you need all the rest you can get." Elyon watched with amusement how Will seemed to inwardly jump at her voice before shyly looking at her. With slow steps Will walked to the left side of the bed and lay down on her back, stiff like a board and not daring to look at Elyon.

The older Elf sighed inwardly before she reached for the girl's left arm. Taking a good hold of the appendage Elyon pulled Will closer until she lay directly next to her. Elyon lay down on her back and pulled Will once again closer, putting her right arm around her shoulders and pulling until Will's head rested on he shoulder. She saw the blush on Will's face and she took hold of the smaller girl's right hand and placed it around her own waist. She shifted a bit until she was comfortable before pulling the covers over the two of them.

Night slowly creped into the room as the sun sank lower and Elyon sighed as she snuggled into the warmth of the body next to. "Goodnight Will," whispered Elyon as she closed her eyes to let sleep claim her. "Night," came the shy mutter from Will who was still blushing up a storm. Elyon soon was asleep, holding onto the other girl softly. But Will was far from sleep. She was fighting hard not to cry tears of joy as she finally moved as close to Elyon as she could. "Elyon," whispered Will lowly as she buried her face in Elyon's neck, "I thank yo-** "MISS!!!"**

Flashback End

Will was abruptly pulled from her memories as a rod slammed down on the desk in front of her. With a startled gasp Will looked up and met the cold brown eyes of Miss Toots, who glared coldly at the girl. "How nice of your mind to join us. Stand up!" Punctuating her command with another slam of the rod on her desk caused Will to basically leap to her feet and looking at the woman with fear. "State your name and your Classes girl," said Miss Toots coldly as she twirled the rod in her hands. "W... Will Ma'am... and I... am a Ranger and... Hexblade," stuttered Will loud enough for the class to hear, drawing several snickers from all around.

"A Drow Hexblade... How... convenient...," hissed the woman as she narrowed her eyes at Will. "You think you're better than us, don't you? Thinking about how to kill as all in our sleep, starting with your 'Mistress', aren't you?!" "What?! NO!!" **"SILENCE!!"** Miss Toots raised her left hand that held the rod and brought it down in an arc towards Will's head. Several of the class couldn't help but gasp and Will closed her eyes, awaiting the sharp pain.... but nothing came....

Slowly she opened her eyes and saw that a strong hand had stopped Misses Toots in her movement shortly before the rod hit Will. Following the hand she saw a black haired, tall male attached to it, wearing a scowl and a glare leveled at the female. "I would appreciate it if you would refrain from hurting MY students, Miss Nerva Toots." The cold, deep voice sent shivers down many of the girls' spines and a lot developed a huge crush.

The man stood tall, well above 6 feet and he was dresses in a black Leather Chest Armor, black pants and heavy boots. Over the armor he wore a red leather coat with long sleeves and red gloves. His eyes stood in strong contrast to his very slightly tanned skin tone: red iris and black pupils bore down on the shorter female with the force of a Werewolf stalking its prey. The woman stepped back and twisted her hand out of the man's grip as if his touch had burned her.

"You," hissed the woman as she held her wrist. "Me. And unless you wish to continue where we left a few days ago I advise you to leave; now." the force behind the last word was evident and Miss Toots hurried out of the room, glaring at the man that followed her with his eyes. The door closed with a slam and silence reigned in the room. The class watched how the man walked behind the teacher's desk and dropped a small pack onto it that had gone unnoticed so far.

The man snapped the fingers of his right hand, causing his index finger to glow in a slight white before he turned towards the chalk board and started to write something on it. After a few moments he turned back to face the class and stepped aside for the pupils to read what her wrote. In filigree letters the following was written: 'Arcane Caster and their History' and below this, twice the size stood 'Raven'.

"Alright, listen up you hotshots. My name is Raven and you will address me as such. No 'Teacher', no 'Sir', no nothing. Raven, simple as that. You will behave yourself in this class or you will be sorry. I could do better things with my time but a friend asked for a favor so I am here. DON'T for one second believe that just because you're of noble birth you will get ANY special treatment. Either you work for your grades or I throw you out, preferable through the window. Is that clear so far?"

"Yes," said the class in low voices as they were slightly in shock. "Good. Now, do any of you have the books requested by the end of last year's term?" rustling filled the room as numerous students pulled out thick books. "I see.... you, go collect them," he said while pointing at Will. The young Drow quickly stood up and went to collect the books from all around the class. Each student she passed gave her a dirty glare or a dark smirk. Especially a spotty carrot head gave her a very sinister sneer as she collected his book. Ignoring the stares she carried the stack of heavy books towards Raven, carefully not to trip on anything.

Suddenly Raven stood in her path and swiftly took the stack from her hands, their hands brushing shortly. "I take it from here," he said and Will quickly nodded and let go of the books. As she walked back to her seat she noticed a slip of paper in her left hand. Looking at it at the corner of her eyes she read the words written on it: 'Stay after class'. Stealing a look at her teacher Will saw him give her a short wink while his face remained impassive.

Raven dropped the books on his desk, a loud 'THUD' sounding through the room. "These books are so called 'springs of information'.... let me show you what **I** think if them." Raven suddenly held a sword in his right hand, in size between a Longsword and a Zweihänder, before he raised it above his head and brought it down on the stack of books, slicing through them with easy as well as cutting deep into the desk. Shouts of protest sounded through the class room before, "SILENCE!"

In an instant every noise was gone and everyone stared at the man. "These books are nothing but fake ideas. Hardly anything is founded on facts and the 'author' has based everything on rumors and biased views. I REFUSE to teach false facts of ANY kind so quit your pathetic whining. Don't like it? There is the door." His sword pointed at the door and his face was hard as he eyed the class. No one dared to even move a muscle. "No one? Good." Raven sheathed his sword on his left hip, revealing a blood red leather sheath no one had noticed before. He tapped the knuckles of his left hand against the chalk board and it cleared before he once more let his finger glow and started to write. "Today we will discuss a Class that most people want to forget, pretending it doesn't exist. This is foolish and utter idiocy. Denying something's existence only makes it more powerful. That is why today we talk about... the Warlock."

He stepped back and the name of the Class was glaring at the class from it's place on the board. Silence reigned in the room, most students having heard that Class in the same sentence as very dirty words. "Now, does ANYONE know ANYTHING about this Class outside of what was written in those pathetic excuses of books?" Raven was met with silence as his eyes roamed the class, no one lifting their hand. Until two hands rose right in front of him. He looked at the owners and saw the calm face of Elyon and the shy face of Will. A smirk played on his lips as he pointed at Will, "What do you know about them?"

Will was about to stand up to speak when a discreet gesture of her teacher signaled her to stay seated. Drawing a deep breath Will started to speak in a low, but steady voice. "A Warlock draws his or her powers from outside of this plane of existence. They gain their impressive skills from a contract of either demons, powerful devils, evil outsiders in general or in rare cases from a contract with a celestial being. Due to such a contract they gain access to a seemingly endless pool of power to draw from what manifests in the ability to use their Invocations and their Eldritch Blast in any desired number a day. Their Invocations are categorized into four levels: Least, Lesser, Great and finally Dark. Under these there are more subcategories that define their Invocations: for one the Blast Shapes, which shape their basic Eldritch Blast into many different forms, altering their range, area of effect or number of targets. The next are the Eldritch Essences, changing the properties of the Eldritch Blast in a different way, like making it cause Fire or Acid damage instead of pure magic or even dealing no damage at all but causing effects like installing utter fear in the target. And lastly a very loose category of Invocations, which can take the same effect as some arcane spells like Darkness or See Invisible."

Raven held up one hand here, stopping Will's speech, "Very good Will, you did your studies." He started to walk through the lanes between the desks, his hands folded behind his back, "As you have heard, a Warlock can be a very potent enemy but also a very potent ally. Their Eldritch Blasts can take so many forms that you hardly ever know what one they will throw your way. You have heard how they gain this power but what Will missed to mention is that not every Warlock has a contract with a being of another plane that they made themselves. These contracts carry over to a Warlock's offspring, and can awaken in any generation past the contract bearer. Everyone in this room could have an ancestor that was a Warlock and even though you are not one your children could hold such power."

"How the hell did your slave know all this," shouted a carrot head at Elyon while he stood up and glared at her. "Sit down," said Raven with a low voice while he leveled a glare at the boy. But he ignored the man and raised his voice again, "Why do you give the slut access to such knowledge? She should be killed right no-" He was cut off by a sudden pain in his cheek and let out a small yelp. The class stared as a cut formed on his cheek, deep enough to draw a good amount of blood and let the ones sitting close get a glimpse of pale bone. They looked up and saw Raven stand in the middle of the class room, right hand still lifted as if he had just let something fly. The students drew a line through Raven and the boy and saw a throwing knife stuck into the wall, still quivering with the force of the throw.

Hay sat in her seat, right in the back of Raven and slowly reached for her left upper arm. 'How... how did he...? He took one of my knifes.... and I didn't even notice.....' And indeed, one of her throwing knifes that were hidden in between the layers of her armor was missing.

All eyes rested on Raven, the man glaring at the carrot head that seemed still in shock. "I said, 'Sit down', Uriah Black." The boy now known as Uriah was just coming out of his shock, staring at the blood that covered his hands. Slowly he whipped the blood off on his dark brown leather armor and blue cape before he turned a heated look at Raven. "How dare you? Have you any idea just who I am? I am the son of TORRIS BLACK!" "I don't give a flying fuck boy."

Gasps were heard at Raven's wording and everyone watched as he slowly stalked closer to Uriah. "I KNOW who you hail from young Warmage but that does NOT give you the authority to question me. I am your teacher and you will do as you are told; Is. That. Clear?" Raven's voice was ice cold, threatening and causing everyone to inch away in fear. But Uriah was either very brave or very foolish as he held up his right hand and flames danced around it as he started his chant to obviously cast a Fireball against his teacher.

Before the teen could finish his chant his words were forcefully stopped as a left hand closed around his throat and lifted him a good two feet off the ground. The hand was attached to Raven who glared at him with a force that would sent younger dragons packing. Slowly Raven raised his right hand, his palm facing Uriah and a purple energy seeped out of it, covering his hand. "Do you have any idea of what you just did, boy," hissed Raven as the glow grew stronger and two voices gasped in his back. "It is fully and totally in my right to unleash on you what young Will just explained."

A collective gasp echoed in the class as Uriah clawed at Raven's wrist, gasping for air as the fear of realization settled into his mind. "Yes foolish boy, **I** am a Warlock, **I **am what you fear. I hold enough power to kill you and with your actions it is in my right to do so. But that would be no fun." With a sudden movement of his left arm Raven sent Uriah flying over the other students and his back crashed into the wall next to the door. The boy howled in pain as he fell to the floor, his back hurting like it was snapped in two. "Leave, leave and never dare to return to my class. Doing so will result in dire consequences."

Silence reigned over the room except for Uriah's grunts of pain as he tried to stand up only to fail. The boy that had sat next to him shakily stood up and walked around Raven and helped Uriah up and out of the room. In the door Uriah managed to look back at Raven, his eyes burning with hatred, "This is not over yet."

Raven watched with a gaze of steel how the door closed while be muttered, "It was over the moment you spoke up." His attention turned back to the rest of the class and saw many fearful looks, looks of shock and, he shivered at this, looks that clearly stated fan girl behavior. "Class dismissed," was all he said before the students quickly dashed for the door, most of them trying to get away from this freak as fast as possible.

Will was sitting in her seat, not moving a single muscle as she stared at Raven, remembering the small note from before. Elyon was about to stand up next to her when Will grabbed the taller girl's arm and pulled her back down, shacking her head as Elyon leveled a questioning look at her. Elyon sat back down, wondering what was wrong with Will.

Soon the class was empty except for Will, Elyon and Raven who still stood in the exact same spot as before. He gave the two girls a quick glance, lingering on Elyon for a moment before he strode for the door, closing it swiftly. With strong strides he walked back to his desk, leaning against it right in front of Will and Elyon, crossing his arms over his chest. "I see you understood." He glanced at Elyon who gave him a cold look what made him chuckle. "Don't you worry Lady Ilvaren," he said with closed eyes and a slightly mocking tone as he called her 'Lady'. "I mean your friend no harm." "She is not my friend, she is my servant," hissed Elyon, trying hard to act her part as the two Elves had decided.

Again Raven chuckled, "Please Elyon, I know all about you. You're mother was the one who specifically asked for me to teach this class and another. I KNOW everything about you two, from your heritage, over how you met, down to your Classes; ALL of them." The last was added to a gaze at Will who developed a slight fear in her mind. "No need to fear young Will. As I said, I mean you no harm. Weira is an old friend of mine and she asked me to keep an eye on you while you're here. And I plan to follow this request to the letter."

Will looked up at the man, her eyes finding no deception in his own orbs of red. "You... are a Warlock as well...." A chuckle rumbled in his throat, "That I am. And yes, I can give you some pointers from time to time." As he saw the surprised look on Will's face he laughed slightly, "You are easy to read for someone of my experience child." "Why are you really doing this," said Elyon suddenly. "Even if you're a friend of Mom and a Warlock yourself... Warlocks are not known to help each other because of good will; What's in this for you?" "My, aren't you a sharp one? Indeed, under normal circumstances I would expect something in return for my service but... let's just say that I owed Weira a favor and this will get us even."

He grinned before nodding at the door, "Now run along you two; time's ticking and your next lesson is about to start." Both girls paled at this and quickly bolted out of the bench and for the door. Raven watched the two run down the corridor while he chuckled to himself, 'Interesting; interesting indeed.'

-----Destiny commands All----

Elyon and Will were hurrying down the corridors when they caught up with Hay, Taranee and Cornelia. "What was that about," asked Hay curiously. Elyon hesitated a bit but Will looked as if deep in thought before turning to the three, addressing them as a whole, "I... I will tell you after today's classes..."

All three girls sensed a great distress within Will but neither of them acted on it. "Come on girls," said Cornelia with a glance around, "Next class is about to start and we need to get to the fields outside. We're all together in that class so come along." And without further notice the group of five rushed down the corridor, missing a pair of teal eyes watching them from the shadow.

Few moments later the five girls rounded the corner of the Institute and rushed towards a group of people that stood at the edge of a track. They quickly closed in on the group and stood next to other students, forming a group of probably 30 of them. In front of them stood Miss Knickerbocker, reading over a scroll while looking up now and then, mustering the group before her. Behind her stood a few more teachers, five in total but obviously one was still missing. Deciding that they had wasted enough time she looked up from her scroll and addressed the group before her.

"Alright, this is the Weapon Class. You will be divided into groups of five, each group getting a separate instructor for this period. They will handle physical training from now on. If you get training at home tell your instructor and he will contact your trainer there. Now listen closely because I will NOT repeat myself." As the principal began to rattle down names many wondered where the sixth instructor was but then quickly paid attention to their school's leader again.

".... Next we have Elyon Ilvaren, her servant Will, Cornelia Hale, Taranee Cook and Hay Lin. Your instructor has yet to arrive so just wait until he shows up....lazy bastard he is......."

The five exchanged looks and each couldn't help but grin. "Looks like we're stuck with each other," grinned Hay. "Looks like it indeed. I just wonder who our instructor is. So far no one got away with making Principal Knickerbocker wait," said Taranee as she pushed her glasses upwards. "Maybe it's because she knows that said instructor can kick her ass any day of the week," sounded a voice behind the five and four of them felt a shiver of recognition run down their spines. Slowly the four turned and faced their instructor, their eyes growing wide.

Before them stood a lazily grinning Raven, his stance relaxed and eyes twinkling with mischief. "Oh, by the way: here is your knife; you forgot to retrieve it." The man handed the weapon to Hay who took it with a silent nod and put it back where it belonged. "Do you know him," asked Cornelia as she gave the black/red clad man a look over and the four girls nodded. "Yes we met last period; now follow me." Raven turned around and slowly walked away, his stride leisurely.

Cornelia looked at the other four, seeing shocked looks still on their faces. "What's wrong with you?" "Well...," started Hay, for once lost for words when Taranee took over. "This man named Raven is the new teacher of Arcane Caster and their History... and he put Uriah in his place just before we came... in a pretty violent fashion...." Cornelia gave the back of the man a look, "He did? I have the feeling I should thank him for that." "I wouldn't do that," muttered Will as the five finally started to follow the man. "He threw the boy halfway through the class room and before that threatened him." "Threaten him? With what? Detention?" "No.... he....he....," Will took a deep breath, "He is a Warlock."

Cornelia was shocked into silence at those news and she stared at Raven's back, "Say what? A Warlock? Him?!" "Yes," said Elyon as she sent a glance at Will, "And a powerful one he must be. He handled Uriah like he was nothing and Warlocks are not known for their physical strength." "True as that may be but there are always exceptions from rules," rang Raven's voice from ahead of them, making all five jump inwardly. "Ehehehehehe, I have pretty good hearing, keep that in mind for future references."

He stopped as they reached one of the dueling rings of the Institute, turning towards them with a lazy expression, "Now you five, before we start that I want to know what weapons you use, how long you have trained with them and a small demonstration of your skills." "How shall we do that without our weapon of choice at hand," asked Cornelia dryly what caused Raven to chuckle, "Take a look at the wall."

The five did that and their eyes widened in surprise. Behind him were weapons pedestals, holding every weapon they could think of, even exotic weapons like a Scythe or a Dwarven War-axe. "Pick your weapon of choice and then let us begin," said Raven with a slight hint of enthusiasm in his voice. "If you don't mind me asking Sir," said Cornelia wile taking a step forth. Raven mustered her with an amused look, "Drop the Sir, it makes me feel old; Raven is just fine. And yes I don't mind." "The others say you are a Warlock." "Yes, it is true." "Then what could you possible know about fighting in close combat?"

The four others held their breath, expecting something like earlier to happen but... to their surprise Raven simply chuckled softly. "You will just have to find out, won't you?" Cornelia nodded, the ghost of a smirk on her lips as she walked over to the pedestals and looked around for her weapon of choice. The other four exchanged surprised looks before Will shrugged her shoulders and set out to find a sword.

A bit later the five stood before Raven, each with their weapon of choice in hand. Will had taken a Longsword very similar to the one she trained with back in the estate. Elyon as well was armed with a Longsword. Taranee held a Composite Longbow in her left hand, a quiver of arrows plugged to her right of her belt. Hay had not picked any weapon but instead had pulled out two Daggers from somewhere in her outfit. Cornelia... even Raven did a double take on the Druid's choice of weapon before he grinned. "I think we two will have fun," he said in a light tone as he eyed the Scythe that Cornelia rested over her right shoulder. "Not the perfect choice but I will work with what I have," said Cornelia with a grin.

Raven then pointed at Taranee, "Show me what you can do with that bow." He pointed at the small group of trees behind him and the girls now noticed the small targets in several places all over them. "15 targets, 15 arrows. Do your worst." Taranee stepped forward and drew a single arrow from the quiver before pulling the string and calming her breath. Taking careful aim at the first target she concentrated before letting the arrow soar. A thud later and she saw that she just barely missed the bulls eye. Not letting this get to her, Taranee went for the next target.

A short while later and Taranee had finished and Raven went to do the counting. "13 out of 15, 6 bulls eyes among them; you're not bad but you must start to consider the wind in your shooting." Taranee nodded and stepped back, waiting with the others for the next to be tested.

Raven's red eyes traveled over them before they came to a rest on Hay, "Let's see what our Rogue can do." He stepped into the dueling area and put his hands in his pockets, "I only want to test you so I will not fight back. Attack me with all you have." Hay's eyes narrowed at his words, feeling insulted by his lazy stance and quickly pulled the Daggers from their sheaths and charge the man, her body held low and arms close to her body.

Flipping the right Dagger in a reverse hold Hay took a quick swipe at Raven's throat only to have the man lean backwards and dodging the deadly steel. Having expected this Hay thrust her left arm forwards, aiming a stab at Raven's open side. With a slight grin Raven gripped Hay's wrist before spinning right and pulling Hay along, throwing her off balance as he let her go after a half spin. The eastern girl stumbled shortly before her reflexes kicked in and she spun around, glaring at a smiling Raven, who made a 'Come and get me' gesture with his left hand.

A sneer formed on Hay's lips as she dashed at the man, her right Dagger still held reverse and she flowed into a flurry of swipes and stabs. Raven kept smiling all the time, dodging every attack while deflecting a few close calls. The others watched in awe as they saw how easily the man toyed with their friend.

Hay was once again making a charge, stabbing her left Dagger forward, expecting Raven to dodge to her left and prepared to follow with a swipe of her right hand. But it came different.

Instead of dodging Raven seized her left wrist and did a step into her defense, before stepping around her to the right and making a quarter turn with his body. Going for a desperate swipe Hay aimed her right hand at his head only to have him duck under her arm and twisting his body until her back was against his front. He still had her left wrist in a tight grip and with a quick twist and turn held the weapon at her own throat. Hay froze at the maneuver and realized... that she had been beat.

With a sigh she let her Daggers drop from her hands, signaling her surrender. Raven chuckled as he let go of her wrist. "You're fast Hay, very fast. If it was not for my years of experience I would have been in deep shit half way through this. You must keep better focus on your foot work. A leg swipe here and there and you could have beaten me if I was a couple of years younger." Surprisingly Hay didn't feel as if she just had been scolded. He had praised her and at the same time pointed out how she could improve. With a soft smile on her lips she collected her weapons and stood with her friends.

Raven's eyes landed on Cornelia and he grinned slightly, "May I have this dance m'Lady?" Cornelia couldn't help but return the grin as she stepped closer, "Of course m'Lord." The two stood opposite of each other in the dueling ring, Cornelia with the Scythe still resting on her shoulder and Raven with his hands buried in his pockets. Neither of them seemed about to attack, they just stood there.

Suddenly Cornelia jumped into action, dashing at Raven and bringing her Scythe down in a downward arc. Raven didn't lean back like he did with Hay's first attack but he bent backwards, planting his hands on the ground and doing a back flip. Cornelia saw this with a grin as she altered the arc of her weapon slightly before spinning around herself, her downwards attack flowing into a horizontal swipe with easy. Raven, who just came back to facing Cornelia in a crouched position couldn't help but let his eyes widen in shock. He had not expected Cornelia to be so fast and had only one option.

Throwing out his legs behind him he dropped down to the ground, the Scythe passing just above him and taking some hairs. Cornelia growled in her throat as she went into her next attack with fluid movements rivaling water. With small alternation of her grip on the Scythe she brought in an upwards arc after her back was to Raven and slightly jumped into the air and turned back to her opponent. With a cry she brought her weapon down on her instructor in a perfect vertical swing.

Raven had just enough time to look up and see the next attack coming. He saw the determination in Cornelia's eyes and did once more the only thing he could do. With a impressive show off strength he pushed with his right hand hard against the ground, causing his body to spin around its own axis and towards his left, avoiding the deadly arc of steel by less than an inch.

Cornelia snarled as the Scythe's tip bore deep into the ground just a bit to the left of Raven and she was about to rip the weapon out to go for the next flurry of attacks when she saw a flicker to her left. While she had been occupied with freeing her weapon Raven had quickly jumped to his feet after that spin and charged her head on. Before she could direct the Scythe back on target his right shoulder rammed into her stomach, forcing the air out of her lungs and causing her to let go of her weapon.

With an "Oof!" and a thud she landed hard on her back, dizzy for a moment before a new weight on her stomach and a purple glow brought her back. Raven was half sitting, half kneeling above her, part of his weight pinning her down while she had a violet glowing palm directed at her face. Raven was breathing a bit faster and his shoulders rose and dropped with his breath. "You're good; very good. If not for that short moment of distraction when you missed you would have been able to draw the first blood."

Cornelia sighed and her back softly landed on the ground, accepting defeat. Raven canceled the glow around his hand and swiftly stood up. His hand though remained extended, waiting for Cornelia to take it. Not to be a sore loser Cornelia took it and he pulled her to her feet. "You need to focus a bit more. Your style is very good already, I guess if you had used your Spells you would have been able to overpower me for a short moment." Cornelia nodded, a small smirk on her lips before she did a mock curtsy, "Thank you for the dance m'Lord." Raven smirked and gave her a bow, "You're very welcome m'Lady."

The group stared with blank looks as the two walked back towards them, both grinning. "WOW," exploded Hay suddenly, "That was SO COOOL!!" "Very impressive indeed," said Elyon with a large grin on her face. "Impressive indeed," said Raven with a laugh as he patted Cornelia's shoulder. "Given time and we two will have a real duel." He took his stance in front of them with his arms crossed behind his back, "Now that the testing is done w-" What do you mean done? You have yet to test me or Will!"

Raven gave an angry looking Elyon a small smile, "You're Zaden's daughter, I am sure he has taught you his own style." "Yeah, so what," said Elyon with defiance. "I know all the ins and outs of his style. And with the time I know he has trained you I know just how good you are. Fighting you would be pointless as I could predict your next move by just a shift of your muscles." Elyon had to make sure that her jaw would not drop as she stared at the human male before her. 'He... he can predict my movements and attacks by just seeing my muscles shift?!' "I doubt anyone else has seen as much of his style as you and I have so I assure you that no one else will be able to outdo you like I could. His style is not bad but against me he ALWAYS lost."

Elyon was silent as she worked through this before she scowled anew, "And what about Will?" Her tone was cold and hard what caused the man to chuckle, "From what I have been told she has just picked up a sword and while Zaden was impressed with her natural sense for fighting she has not yet the grasp on the basics as you do. Fighting her would be like an old dog 'fighting' with a pup."

Will looked down at her feet, his words crashing onto her shoulders like boulders. 'I know... I just started but why.... why must he point it out so bluntly...?' "So you will ignore her," snapped Hay with a glare. "Ignore her? Now why should I do that? No, I simply will not fight her just yet. But that does not mean I will not help her with her basic stances and movements." Will's head snapped up as she stared at her instructor who gave a lazy smirk, one eye closed as the sun shone into it. For a moment she could have sworn his hair flickered from black to white but as soon as she blinked it was gone.

"Now Will, let me see the basic stand Zaden taught you." Taken out of her thoughts Will drew her sword and held it with both hands, holding it vertically in front of her body, arms very slightly bent and her right foot moved a bit backwards to stabilize her stance. Raven motioned for the other four to back off a bit before he walked around Will, taking in the details of her stance. "Hm..... hm...... hm.... not bad but could be better."

Suddenly Will's face flushed red as she felt Raven step directly behind her, his body spooning against her own while his hands covered her own on the sword. Elyon and the others tensed as their instructor invaded the young Drow's personal space. The fact that he spoke in a very low and husky voice that only the three Elves could pick up was not helping things either.

"Your balance is off," whispered Raven into Will's left ear as he slowly bent his arms slightly and in turn Will's as well. He brought the sword closer to her body and tipped the sword tip slightly to the left. Will suddenly felt his knee part her thighs slightly and her blush strengthened as she felt him rub her skin through the stockings. His right foot moved hers a bit backwards and then he suddenly stepped back.

Every girl drew a small breath as he stepped away from Will and again walked around her. "How does that feel?" Will concentrated and to her surprise she felt her stance was more solid than before and that the sword was not putting as much of a strain on her arms. "Better," muttered Will as the muscles throughout her body flexed. "Thought that much," mumbled Raven as he plopped down on his rear end and took the Lotus position, his right elbow resting on his knee and his chin rested on his fist. He held an intense gaze at Will as she stood stock still.

He seemed to space out on them for a few moments before a low chuckle escaped his lips that soon went for a full blown laughter. He threw his head back, eyes closed. "AHAHAHAHAHA! I can't believe this sly weasel! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! He really had me fooled for a moment!" The five girls watched him like he had gone insane and Will sheathed the sword again. "What's the matter with you," asked Taranee, "You seem like the victim of Tasha's Hideous Laughter." Hay giggled at Taranee's words, knowing that SHE had not cast said spell, even though she knew it.

Raven seemed to come to his senses again but still chuckled heartedly. "No such thing Taranee. I was just... hehehehehe... it's just the stance Zaden taught young Will.... hehehehehe.... it is the initial teaching stance for something bigger." "What do you mean," asked Will her curiosity spiked. "There is a man roaming the realms, a man using a two weapon fighting style that has grown quite famous. The style itself is know as 'Dance of the Full Moon' and the only known user of said style is a man now know as Dracos. Do any of you know that name?"

"I read it once," muttered Will, trying to recall the memory. "He was mentioned in once breath with the Drow Deity Eilistraee... also know as the Dark Maiden and the Lady of the Dance..." "Very good young Will, very good indeed. I see you have studied up on your past." "What is so special about that style," asked Elyon while the five stood now in a half circle around Raven. The man leaned his head back, looking up into the sky, "What is so special about it? I will tell you: it's special because of many things, most you would not understand without having seen it but this you will understand: the 'Dance of the Full Moon' is as I said a two weapon style and it is only truly efficient with two weapons of the same kind: a Bastard Sword, the chosen weapon of Eilistraee herself. There are rumors that the Goddess herself taught him this style in his youth."

Gasps could be heard from the five, all of them knowing that wielding one Bastard Sword was no easy feat due to it's exotic origin but to wield TWO?! The strength needed to do that was great, not to mention the training time one would have to dedicate to it. And that rumor? If it was true.... that man, that.... Dracos... he was a very lucky and dangerous man. "Zaden must hope you can recreate that style on your own." Will stared at her instructor with wide eyes, "Why would he think THAT?!" Raven chuckled while giving her a meaningful look, "Easy, because you have the exact same Classes as Dracos." Silence followed his statement as Will's mind was swirling with thoughts.

Will started to feel really dizzy and swayed on her feet, one hand on her forehead while her eyes closed half way. "Will," said Elyon loudly as she gripped the girl's shoulder and steadied her. Raven stood up and slowly placed his right hand on Will's forehead. Feeling a burst of magic he pulled his hand back, "Elyon, take her home. I am not sure what it is but something is effecting her. You both have the rest of the day off. I will inform your other teachers."

Elyon looked at the man and nodded, quickly letting Will lean against her as they left slowly towards the Ilvaren estate. The four that stayed behind watched them until they rounded the corner and Raven turned back to them, "That's it for today I guess. Enjoy your longer lunch break." Hay and Cornelia, after returning the borrowed Scythe, left slowly. Taranee on the other hand stayed behind, her gaze fixed on Raven. The man gave her a curious look, "Something the matter?" "As a matter of fact, yes; You." "Me? What makes you say that?" "The others might not have noticed it but I did. You cast some kind of spell on Will. I do not know which one but you did and I want to know why."

Raven gave Taranee an empty look before a spark moved through his eyes, "I did nothing to her that would be bad for her health. She needed rest after this revelation and I could also feel something more than myself at work; I was not the only one casting spells on her. I did what I did as an excuse to send her home early." Taranee studied the man with sharp eyes before she sighed and closed her eyes while pushing her glasses up her nose, "I will take your word for it.... for now. Should I find out that you influence Will in a bad way... no matter how powerful you are, I will see you fall." Taranee glared at the man who only watched with his lazy gaze before he smiled. "You are free to try."

Taranee huffed and quickly left the area after returning the bow. Raven sat in the same spot before he turned to the group of trees, "Have you seen enough?" A very faint rustle of leaves reached his keen ears and for a short moment he saw teal eyes flash. Then he stood up and stretched his arms over his head, "Time to get some lunch I guess." and with his hands buried in his pockets he walked away from the dueling ring. 'That was... a very interesting first day.'

-----Destiny commands All----

Cut. Copy. Archieve.

And this introduces one of the few important OCs: Raven. Strange, weird, cocky bastard he is. We have seen that while not holding a physical Class, he is able to easily beat each of the girls. I wonder what he is up to now......

Also a 'Legend' of kinds was mentioned: Dracos. A man truly shrouded in mystery...... What does HE have to do with all of this?!

Maybe next time you will find out. Until then, stay lively.

- Nelo Akuma


	8. Life goes on

Good Day Ladies and Gentlemen.

it's the 1st of May and time for an update. Today it will not be another massive chapter like the last time, though it will still have a couple of important facts that might not be pbvious right now.

Today we ones again follow Will through school, witnessing some more of her struggles.

General thanks for reviewing go to **XV-Dragon** and **Baran3**.

And now on with the show.

-----Destiny commands All----

The next day's morning went pretty much as the first day. Elyon was walking next to Will, casting worried glances at the younger girl every now and then. 'She's been asleep all day yesterday. It did her good though and earlier she seemed rather centered and collected. I only hope that today won't be as eventful.' They passed through the gates and had their loud greeting from a happy as ever Hay before they headed inside the Institute. Hay, Taranee and Cornelia remembered Will's promise from the day before, telling them what happened when she and Elyon stayed behind in class but they all had decided that they would wait for the young Drow to come around and tell them.

First period for Elyon and Will was 'Divine Magic', something they shared with Cornelia and the three bid the other two goodbye till lunch. They walked through the student filled corridors, earning glances, glares and a couple of insults for Will but they ignored it as best as they could. Will, though giving a tough front was still effected though. Her eyes lost their spark of happiness with every step she took.

'Why? Why can't they just give me a chance?' She felt something brush against her arm and looked up at Elyon. A soft spark in the taller girl's eyes gave Will new strength and her back straightened a bit as they walked into the small chapel of the Institute. At the entrance they saw two armored men, both wearing the symbol of Helm's warriors, an open eye on a war gauntlet. The three were about to enter the chapel when suddenly Will found two large blades of steel blocking her path. "Begone foul creature," growled one of the man, his face hidden under the helmet of his Full Plate Mail.

"Let my servant pass," said Elyon in her best 'I am better than you' voice but the two Paladins only glanced at her. "This foul soul will NOT stain these Holy Halls." "I said, let her pass," said Elyon as she glared at the two. Both ignored her and stepped closer to Will, the frightened girl taking backward steps. The other students about to enter stared at the display with great interest, especially a pair of teal eyes. 'What will you do now?'

"In the name of Helm, begone," said both Paladins in one voice as they raised their swords to bring them down on Will. The young Drow knew it, there was nothing she could do to stop them. 'So this is my end,' thought Will as she closed her eyes, sending a small prayer to the new Deity in her life. 'Please Lady of Dance, grant me peace.' The swords soared through the air and gasps could be heard from all around.

Will awaited the pain, the end; she heard Elyon and Cornelia give small shouts of disbelieve and then shouts of surprise from all around. There was no pain, only silence after the shouts. Very slowly she became aware of a presence right behind her and then a voice echoed in the silent hall, a voice she recognized. "I don't think so."

Slowly Will opened her eyes and looked up. She saw two hands had stopped the two massive swords like it was nothing. She took in the red gloves and the red sleeves of a coat as she shot a look over her shoulder confirming her suspicion. Behind her, the mix of a scowl and dark smirk on his face stood no one else but Raven. His eyes were burning into the eyes of the two Paladins and Will was sure she heard the two shiver in their heavy armors.

With a seemingly ease Raven gave the two swords a quick flick and the momentum sent the two Paladins stumbling backwards. "Have you two forgotten the oath you swore the day you walked into Helm's service? Have you forgotten your oath to watch, observe and judge justly?" "What is there to judge justly," barked one of the men, his hidden gaze probably directed at Will. Raven slowly walked forward, taking strong steps as he walked between the Paladins and Will, his face cold and calculating.

Slowly his hands reached towards the the junction of chest armor and helm of the two Paladins and with strength belying his build he grabbed the armor in a vice grip and lifted both man of the ground a good foot. "We will take this to your superior," growled Raven as he slowly started to walk away, the two men still tightly in his grasp. "We will see what she has to say about your behavior." The two men were too stunned by Raven's strength to complain or resist as he carted them off like two rascals.

Silence was all that reigned over the corridor, no student willing to break it in fear. Elyon and Cornelia had walked to Will's side, questioning the girl with silent looks if she was alright. Will only nodded at the two with a small smile, her mind somewhere else. 'He... he was speaking the truth.... He will protect me while in these halls of wisdom...' A small warmth spread through Will's body at this, feeling she had found one more person for the small circle that did not hate her.

"What in the name of Tyr is going on her?" All youths turned towards the new elderly voice. Through the students walked an old bald man, wearing a plain brown cotton robe. "The guards.... bar the right to my servant to enter the chapel Father," said Elyon lowly, praying that the old monk would not be biased as most others. The old man looked at Elyon and then Will standing on her left, "Ah, Lady Elyon. So this is your new servant and the cause for the heated discussions among the teachers."

His voice was even and with a good natured laugh in it, though one could not see any indication on where he himself stood on the matter. He looked at Will and sought eye contact with the girl and she was quick to grant him his unspoken request. Emerald green met a red-golden and stayed locked for what felt like eternity. After a few moments the old monk smiled softly at the young Drow. "I see. I will not judge you for your race's deeds young one. Tyr tells use to see the truth on the inside and not the shell."

Fires of muttering and whispers broke out among the students as the Father herded them into the chapel. Will was walking between Elyon on her left and Cornelia on her right, a very small smile on her lips. Another soul was giving her a chance and the benefit of the doubt.

Teal eyes were following Will and her friends with surprise. The owner seemed unable to understand this just yet; nor what was going on here.

-----Destiny commands All----

Lunch was... and interesting ordeal. Students were talking about the morning's happenings vividly, each story topping the other in exaggeration and debauchery. But in one point every story was the same: shock; shock that the devious Drow had not stricken back in any form or kind. The more observant students, minor as they were in number, by now had come to the conclusion that something was not right here.

Teachers were openly hostile towards the servant, beyond the point of normal treatment a servant got. And so far no one of these students saw why the teachers were that dead set on causing harm to the girl. But none of them would speak up. Why put yourself on the line for someone you don't know?

Besides those conversations, ignoring them as good as possible was the group of five friends, heading towards the outsides of the Institute. Will had said she would explain to them why Raven had wanted her to stay after class on her first day; and that would entail, telling them about her being a Warlock. 'Please Eilistraee, guide me in this moments of uncertainty,' though Will as the found a secluded spot. Ironically it was the dueling ring where Raven had brought them the day before.

Will sat with her back against the Institute's walls, the others sitting in a kind of half circle around her. She had her eyes closed and her mind was racing, trying to find the words to explain all this to the three. "Listen girls... I was not completely honest with you as I told you about my classes... I know that it will be a hurtful stab when I tell you now but.... I... I didn't want to loose a chance... to make friends.... but as friends.... you deserve to know...." Will's voice was barely a whisper in the end, her head lowered and her hair covering her eyes in dark shadows.

The three looked very curious, leaning slightly forward where they sat to be sure not to miss anything.

Very slowly Will raised her right hand and slowly a violet glow seeped out of her skin and through the glove, covering her hand. Two pairs of eyes opened and surprise as Will's whisper penetrated the silence. "As well as Ranger and Hexblade.... I am.... also a... a... a Warlock....."

Nothing. Not a word, not a syllable or even a breath broke the silence as Will stopped the flow of Eldritch might to her hand. She looked at the three girls through her hair, seeing shock and astonishment on all their faces. But suddenly.... one of them smiled.... in a soft and warm way....

"I am glad you entrusted this to us Will," said Taranee as she slipped closer to Will and placed an arm around her shoulders. "You knew.....," whispered Will while she stared openly at Taranee with eyes of shock. The dark skinned girl giggled slightly, her glasses nearly slipping off her nose, "After Raven's comment yesterday I headed over to the library and looked up this Dracos person. There was not much, not even his true name but his classes were listed as Ranger, Hexblade and Warlock as a Gestalt. Raven said you had the exact same classes as Dracos so it was easy to figure out."

Will was frozen as she continued to stare at the other girl with wise eyes. "But I understand why you were hesitant to tell us," added Taranee. "I in your place would have acted the same way." Will was not believing her ears when she heard Taranee, her heart beating in her throat as she started to shake and moisture gathered in her eyes. As the first tear fell down her cheek Will pulled Taranee in a bone crushing huge. Taranee returned the huge with soft smile, stroking Will's back softly.

Will was pulled out of her happy world as four more arms joined the now group huge, blond and more dark blue hair filling her field of vision. 'They.... they all... accept it.... accept me....' Her heart leaped in her chest, beating with speed beyond reality.

Elyon watched the exchange with a soft and happy smile, a lone tear of happiness rolling down her own cheek. 'Thank the gods. They accept her. Will looks so happy, so full of life; like for the first time she has truly the will to survive.' Elyon knew that that last thought was not true. She had seen the look before, though only in her mind: five days ago when she had accepted Will's request to share a bed at night.

The tender moment was broken as suddenly someone clapped and heavy foot steps drew closer to the five. "I think congratulations are in order."

Every spun to the voice and their eyes fell on a broadly smiling Raven, his eyes closed. Cornelia, Taranee and Hay looked at him with a critical eye, not knowing what to think of the strange male that was butting into stuff he had no say in. "What do you want," asked Cornelia carefully as she shifted her weight a bit. Taranee's hand twitched towards her spell book and Hay reached for her hidden throwing knifes. "Stop it."

The very soft command stopped the three in their movements and they turned to face the speaker: Will. The young Drow was slowly standing up and walked towards Raven, her hair falling into her face. She stopped only at arms length from the man, before she slowly looked up at him, new tears in her eyes. What happened next threw even Raven into a loop: Will hugged him, her arms around his middle section and her face buried just below his chest. "Thank you," muttered Will between sobs.

Raven was obviously not sure what to think of this. Slowly he placed an arm lightly around Will's shoulders, his other hand softly ruffling up her hair. "Cut it out. I did nothing. It was yourself."

"What are you talking about Will?," asked Elyon suddenly, alerting the two to the audience. Will quickly let go of the male, a blush on her face that was clearly visible. "I.... When... I was asleep yesterday... I had... a vision of sorts...." "So THAT'S what you did," shouted Taranee as she pointed an accusing finger at the only male. Raven chuckled while his right hand rubbed his neck, "Ehehehehe, looks like I am busted, huh?"

"What did you show her in her sleep," asked Taranee, stalking towards the male with a dangerous glint in her eyes. Raven took a few steps backwards, his hands raised in a surrendering motion, "Easy there Miss Wizard. I showed her something I remember from way back. I was there when Dracos told his peers about his classes. I thought it would encourage her to do the same. Looks like I was right."

Suddenly his back bumped into the Institute's wall, now four females advancing on him. Taranee's and Elyon's right hands were glowing in a dangerous green light, Hay brandished her daggers and Cornelia had her eyes closed, muttering words under her breath. Cold sweat burst from the male's temples as he felt arcane and divine magic spark around the girls.

He was frantically searching for a way out of this without hurting the girls or destroying a good part of the wall behind him when suddenly the feeling of dread vanished. He opened his eyes that he had closed to block out their faces, which had been promising pain in many forms, only to see the four giggling at him. It hit him hard, 'I fell for their bluff like an amateur.' He couldn't help but chuckle slightly as his body relaxed, "You girls really had me there. I was sure I was about to get it."

"Now, we may be young but we are not stupid. You are one of the few adults who does not hate Will; you are going out of your way to protect her from harm and for that we are all grateful," said Hay, her voice unnaturally serious. Raven looked at her and grinned, "I doubt that it is me who keeps her going. I think it is your girls." The four couldn't help the very slight blush coloring their cheeks when suddenly Elyon narrowed her eyes at Raven, "What are you doing here? I doubt you can predict the future to be here right when Will confesses to the three." Slowly she walked towards him, her eyes getting very cold, "Are you stalking us?" Raven simply grinned, a sparkle in his eyes, "Wouldn't you like to know?" But before anyone could react he was gone in a small flicker of arcane might.

The girls stared at where he had stood just moments ago. "Well.... that was an interesting exit," mumbled Taranee, her senses still tingling with the short but intense burst of arcane. "Uhm girls," came Will's meek voice, after drying her tears and whipping the evidence away with her gloves. "Not to break the mood or anything but I think we need to get to our next class." Everyone looked up at the sun, taking notice of its position. "Damn," they all five said in one voice before they rushed off towards their last class or the day.

-----Destiny commands All----

The five friends were bursting into their next classroom but their hurry and state of disheveled appearance after running all the way to the other side of the Institute were lost to the other students. This classroom was set up differently, not with rows of tables but with group tables. Quickly seizing the last free one the five sat down before anyone else could split their group up. "What do we have now," asked Will in a low voice as she looked through the room, feeling a pair of eyes burn into the back of her head. "Foreign Languages," answered Taranee, her voice filled with barely hidden excitement, "Last year we learned the basics of Dwarfen language. Not sure what we will do this year but I can't wait."

Will looked at the smiling Taranee and filed the information away for later use. 'What is going on here? I see no one looking at me but still I feel like I am being watched.' The five settled into a small period of silence as they waited for the teacher to show up.

Teal eyes in the back of the room were staring at the red head's back, emotions circling in them from anger to sorrow, from pain to envy. 'Why? Why do they trust her?'

A couple of minutes passed and the class began to to become restless slowly. Chatter was growing louder, topics more personal and also the gazes directed at Will grew more heated. Suddenly the room became dead silent. Heavy foot steps echoed down the corridor to the room and it built a sense of anticipation. The last teacher had died while on a trip so the teacher would probably be new. But if that was true... the only new teacher was this black haired male.

The steps stopped just outside the room and the tension that the students felt was tangible in the air. The suddenly the door was practically kicked open, slamming against the inside wall with a loud noise and revealing the teacher.

Will and her friends couldn't help but sigh as they all thought with one mind, 'Yep, him again.' And indeed it was Raven walking into the room with strong strides, his eyes taking in the room and the students. Reaching Will's eyes he did something that shocked Will to the core: his left hand did a few discreet movements that Will identified as.... Drow sign language! Though her memory was foggy about the single signs she understood that it was a silent greeting and she answered with her own chain of signs, returning the gesture.

Raven smirked on the inside as he moved to the table in front of the room and prepared to make those kids shit themselves. "Alright, listen up maggots: this year will be different; VERY different." He plopped down in the chair and threw his feet on the table, "This year you fools will not learn a spoken language, at least not ones you would be able to practice in day to day live so you better be ready to bust you ass into the books."

His left knuckles sharply knocked on the chalk board behind him and words started to engrave themselves into the dark structure. Those words were not in any language that the whole of the students knew, mostly circles, filigree lines and small geometric symbols. It held a certain relation to Elven tongue but it was.... more complex for the lack of a better term. "Does ANYONE have any idea what this language is?"

At Will's table all eyes turned towards Taranee but the girl stared at the board, her brows furrowed and eyes narrowed. "What is wrong Nee," asked Hay in a low voice, catching the Elf's attention. "What is wrong is the fact that I can't even imagine what language that is." Three of the four stared in utter shock, only Will looking a bit confused. "You don't know what it is," asked Elyon with surprise clearly on her face.

Suddenly Cornelia, who had been deep in thought, looked at them. "I remember. I have seen those words before." Raising her arm slowly she caught Raven's eyes, seeing a smirk sparkling in them. "Yes, Hale." Cornelia cleared her throat, "Is it possible that... this is.... draconic language?" Fires of suppressed chatter erupted amongst the students while Raven's smirk now played on his lips, "Indeed it is Hale. Draconic Tongue, one if not THE oldest language ever written down in this plane of existence." He knocked his knuckles on the board and the words disappeared before being replaced by now words, in form of even more elegant form and lines.

Will stared at the words with her eyes wide, and mouth slightly agape. Her mind was ground to a very sudden stop and many people around her heard her sharp intake of air and turned to her. "This.... this can't be real.... this is..... it must be a trick...." "What's the matter," asked Elyon, many other students leaning in to eavesdrop. "Those.... those words.... they are....." "You have something to share with us young Will?" Raven's voice cut through the air and silenced everyone and caused them to look at Will.

The young Drow swallowed dryly, feeling a large lump in her throat as she tried to speak. "It is.... an Elven dialect..." "Good, but I am very sure you know which one." Their eyes met and Will's were pleading with him but his showed her only a challenge. Suddenly Will wanted to answer, forgotten was the hesitation and forgotten was the possible reaction. "It is Drow."

The bomb dropped and nothing was heard. Absolute and perfect silence reigned in the room. Not a single breath could be heard by even the Elven ears present. The only sound that suddenly was heard was a few short claps. As if in slow motion the class turned towards Raven, the man still having his feet on the table. "Not that I expected anything less. Yes, this is the language of the Dark Elfs." Once more his knuckles hit the board ad it cleared.

The students were expecting something more. This man was dark, in the sense that he didn't fear the darkness and its creatures; that they could all see as they now knew that he seemed to speak at least broken Drow. Their eyes were clued to the board, eager to see more of those very exotic languages. What they saw was something else entirely. Very slowly lines appeared on the board, simply in design unlike the two languages before. It was as the first word was finished that Elyon couldn't help herself and gasped loudly, jumping to her feet and using her hands planted on the table to support herself.

"Yes Ilvaren, you have something you want to share with us?" "You.... you know..... Celestial language?" "Indeed I do. I was wondering how fast someone would recognize it." Even while the words wrote themselves Raven knuckle-d the board and it cleared before new words appeared.

This time a shiver went through the class as burning red lines, jacked and evil quickly appeared on the as if melting through it from the backside. Several people gasped as the runes on the board seemed to trip a red substance on the ground. Raven chuckled sinisterly, grabbing the unshared attention from everyone. "If ANY of you knew this language I would be not only surprised I would question the people raising you. For this.... is Infernal."

Shivers moved over everyone's spines as he spoke the name with such a sinister smile that they expected wings, claws and flames to burst out of his body. "Those are the languages we will go into deeply. Others we might touch here and there for references. Now to make one thing clear, you will NOT be able to speak these languages at the end of the term. You might be able to understand basic words but spoken and written are very different with these languages." Slowly he stood up, an aura of dread lingering around him as he walked through between the tables.

"And never even think that I will teach you advanced styles of those languages. Secrets are meant to stay secret; one of the many causes the man named Dracos is still the only one able of his style." He sharply turned back to the board and a white ray of arcane from his right hand hit it. Once more it cleared and then Common words appeared on the board. Book names and their authors appeared on it in a clear white color, "Copy them; I don't expect each of you to have a copy of each book but each table will need a full set. How you pull that off is not my problem. Dismissed."

Quickly everyone hurried out of the room, even the group of friends had no desire to stick around Raven just now. He seemed much too dangerous.

As the five left the Institute they turned towards the Ilvaren estate, deciding that now would be the best time to do some homework.

-----Destiny commands All----

Cut. Copy. Archiev.

Another chapter down. Raven sure seems to be a strange character, doesn't he? Messing with the Order of Helm just because he feels like it; either he is very bold or very stupid..... not to mention that e seems to lik eto stick his nose into places where it doesn't belong.

Until the next time.

- Nelo Akuma


	9. New Teacher

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen

It is the 15th and thus time for the next chapter.

in the last chapter Raven displayed some really brazen balls as he openly messed with the two Paladins. there have been questions about them so i will give a very brief intro of the Order of Helm: The Order of Helm is the biggest and most known Paladin order within Fearun. Their members are highly beloved and well respected as defenders of Faith. The are big on the political stage as well, having enough political power to make lesser Lords crawl at their feet.

As i said, short intro. some of you may wonder now just WHY Raven feels confident enough to fuck with them. *smirks* guess what? not telling!

There have also been questions about my choice of Languages Raven teaches. I will be blunt about it: Raven teaches the languages that he thinks will benefit WILL in the first place; the other students are just coming along for the ride.

Also i have received a very..... hostile PM about my choices for Will's Race and Classes. i am not going to post the whole message here, i will just say that the author of it called me a "satanic, damned bastard that should burn in the cursed flames of Hell for all eternity". obviously not a pleasant person. i will answer as follows: "I know that i will end up in Hell so stop telling me already. i already have picked out my apartment right next to Cerberus and Charon. - If you don't like my choices for Will then get lost and leave this story be."

General thanks for reviewing go to: **XV-Dragon, Baran3 **and **Carlalalita**(who also happens to be my beta reader so give her some real credit; without her this story would be really work to read through).

ehem, enough rant now: On with the show.

-----Destiny commands All----

Weeks had passed by now and the Institute had somewhat settled into a normal routine: Between lessons people tried to mess with the Drow and were swiftly and brutally taken care of by the new teacher; lessons with said teacher were.... interesting to say the least. He had a very peculiar way of teaching things. And no one knew that better than a certain group of five friends.

Raven had made clear statements of where he would bring all five of them with the weapons class. In 'Foreign Languages' they had started off with Drow, seeing that most students had elven background. This caused an uproar amongst the teaching body but Principal Knickerbocker and Vice-Principle Collins stood with the male. As rare as the two agreed on something but here they would back him up, unless they wanted him to start a war amongst the teachers..... one that he would probably win if his confidence meant anything.

Right now Elyon and Will were on their way back to the Ilvaren estate. Today things had gone pretty easy for Will: no big insults, only the usual stares and sneers and most importantly NO need for Raven to get involved. Over the time Will had grown.... quite fond of the weird man.... it was nearly a crush by now. She had tried to find ANYTHING on him but she found nothing. He was no where mentioned nor was he listed in any official document that Weira got them a copy off.

By now the two had reached the lush woods around the estate and were heading for the terrace in the back of the building, both planning to bug Weira and Zaden about that supposed teacher that should come for Will any day now. The two Elves had kept Will's studies and training up after school, getting Will into a way better physical shape by now. She was no longer only skin and bones but had gained some healthy weight, filling out a bit thanks to the healthy meals and Zaden's training. Will's body was slowly growing more muscular while keeping it's lean build.

Weira had started to instruct her on two Hexblade spells: Phantom Threat and Sleep. Phantom Threat was a spell of the Illusion school, creating fake images of more foes in the target's mind. Sleep, as the name of the spell suggested, was a means to put a number of enemies, or friends if need be, to slepp as long as the casters mind was able to inlfuence the tragtes' mind. The concept of both spells was rather easy though Will had a few problems with the Phantom Threat; there was no one she could practice the spell on. Weira, Zaden and even Elyon were pretty much immune to it due to different reasons.

But besides physical training and those two spells Will had not learned much about her specific class features. Weira could not teach her about her Hexblade's Curse or Invocations of her Warlock class; the only thing she could practice was her basic Eldritch Blast. By now she was able to rather quickly call forth the energy and shoot it off her palms in small blast. Will was equally proficient with it in both her hands, something that could prove valuable soon enough as Weira said.

Will came out of her memories as they rounded the last corner, seeing Weira and Zaden sitting on the marble bench facing them. In the armchair that faced the two girls with it's back was obviously someone seated and both girls got anxious as that could only mean one thing: Will's teacher had arrived. "Mom. Dad," called Elyon, drawing the attention from both Elves. "Elyon. Will. Perfect timing. Will's new instructor just arrived a few moments ago," said Weira with a wide smile. Zaden was smirking at his wife's side, something that quickly made Will wary. 'When ever he smiles like that.... something weird happens.....'

The person in the chair slowly stood up, still with it's back to them. The build of the person was clearly male, black hair down to his shoulder blades, wearing a red coat of sorts. Both girls watched closely as the man turned to face them and when they saw his face.... "WHAT," they shouted in one voice, both pointing an accusing finger at the man who turned out to be...... Raven.

Yes, their crazy teacher from the Institute was lazily standing in front of them, hands in his pockets and a smile on his lips. "Hey you two." "MOM! What is that about?!" Weira couldn't help but laugh at the two shell shocked looking girls, "Why, he will teach Will about her Warlock and Hexblade abilities."

Will stared at the man with wide eyes, slowly processing that he would teach her Warlock AND Hexblade skills. Slowly a blush creped on her cheeks, barely visible on her skin but the smirk Raven sent her way.... it clearly stated that he had caught the action. "Alright Will, time's wasting so what do you say if we get this started?" He gave Elyon a quick glance and hastily added, "Of course Elyon is free to sit in."

The two older Elves smiled as they saw how a man as powerful as Raven seemed to make sure not to piss off a young heiress. The two girls exchanged looks before both nodded, Will with a shy smile playing over her lips. All three adults caught onto this... and had different reactions. 'Aww that is so cute; young Will has her first crush,' thought Weira with a large smile. 'Uh-oh. Take care of your sorry ass Raven. Elyon will be gunning for it if you get closer to Will,' though Zaden, slowly coming to terms with the fact that there was something between his daughter and her servant. 'Oh man.... this is so troublesome...,' thought Raven, knowing that look all too well.

"Come on you two; show me a place that we can tear up without the old timers jumping down our throats." Giggling softly behind their hands the two girls walked off for the courtyard, feeling the evil stares that must drill into Raven's head.

It did not take them long to reach their destination and Will turned to Raven, her face serious and eager to learn. "Alright Will. What has Weira taught you so far?" "Well, she gave me the basics on Arcane Casting as well as started to teach me the Phantom Threat and Identify spells. Besides that.....," she shrugged in the end. Raven nodded, holding out his right hand that was nearly instantly covered in a purple glow. "How fast can you summon your Eldritch Blast?"

Will held out both her hands, swiftly covering them in her power though no way as fast as Raven did. He nodded, eying the glow critically. "I have seen worse..... the power is not too shabby..... speed could be a bit better.... density seems fine to me for a Novice......" He looked around and quickly spotted a large bow target. "I want to see how good your aim is, with both hands. Throw on Blast from each hand at the target; try to hit the SAME spot with BOTH Blasts, NOT the Bull's Eye."

Will nodded and turned her attention to the target. 'Roughly 30 feet away.... got to make this count.' Concentrating hard Will punched out her left hand first, the Eldritch Blast flying from her hand in a soft arc, hitting the inner quarter of the target and creating a slight burn mark on it. Will's eyes narrowed as she took very careful aim at the point of impact, focusing and then thrusting out her other hand. The second Blast was slightly off course, doing a slight left arc and hitting the target a couple of inches away from the first impact.

Disappointed Will hung her head before daring to look at Raven. 'He will tell me now how much I messed up.....' She watched the man walk towards the target, inspecting it closely. "Good work Will." Will's eyes shot open as she heard this, gaping at the male, "What...? But I missed!" Raven chuckles slightly as he walked back to Will. "That you did but only because I tampered with the second shot." "What," asked Will disbelieving.

"Haven't you felt it? As you were concentrating on the second shot?" Will thought back, trying to recall what she felt. 'I felt.... slightly off balance..... But I had a solid stance!' "I see you noticed it," said Raven with a soft smile. "What you felt were the toned down effects of my Hexblade's Curse." 'That makes sense....,' thought Will as she looked at Raven.

The man smiled inwardly, 'She has potential. Even with my Curse she was only two inches off. Her aiming is good and her natural instincts as well. Even though she was unaware of it she tried to counter the Curse.' "Sit down Will," said Raven, dropping on his rear as well, his back leaning against the raised dueling ring. Will sat down with her legs crossed in front of him, hanging on his lips with her eyes. He chuckled lightly as he took notice of this but refrained from commenting. "You did well in this test. Originally I had planned to let you train your aim all day and maybe later teach you how to channel your Hexblade's Curse but I changed my mind." He reached for the inside of his coat pulling out four small scrolls.

"What I have here are the written instructions for four things: two different Invocations, a spell and the Hexblade's Curse. I won't tell you which one is which. You can choose TWO of those scrolls now. The rest you might be able to earn today IF you can impress me with your progress. So choose wisely and prepare to train." He placed the scrolls in front of him, all four scrolls looking identical to Elyon who looked over Raven's shoulder.

But Will saw.... no.... FELT a difference. 'I.... I want to get one Invocation and the Hexblade's Curse instructions...... Wait...... what is this feeling....?' Slowly she placed her hand over the left most scroll, hovering a few inches above the paper. She felt a small tingle in her hand, familiar to the tingle her Eldritch Blast created. 'Must be a Blast Shape Invocation or an Eldritch Essence Invocation........ no, not just yet......' Moving to the next scroll Will felt relatively strong Arcane from it, making this one easy, 'Hexblade Spell..... no. That means....' "I take the two on my right," said Will, pointing at the two scrolls.

Raven wore a proud smile, having hoped for something like this, "Very well Will. Take them and pick a third as a reward." "Huh? Reward for what," asked Elyon from behind him and he gave her and short grin over his shoulder before he focused back on Will. "You felt it, did you not? The small trickles of information?" "Yes..... what was that?" "It is a power of your Warlock side: Detect Magic." "What? But she doesn't KNOW that spell!"

Raven laughed softly, "Oh she used no spell. The Warlock has the inborn ability to feel magic in an item, creature or area. They don't need spells for it and they can do it basically all day long with only a few short breaks now and then." Will was staring at the scrolls and swiftly picked the second Invocation. She was about to break the wax seals on all of them when Raven stopped her. "Will, only one at a time. While I understand that you are curious it is better to only do one fully and then go for the second one."

Will looked down at the scrolls, mulling over her choices. Slowly she reached of the Invocation scroll not feeling like her Blasts. She picked it up and softly broke the seal, careful not to rip in the parchment. She rolled it open and read the name out loud, "Entropic Warding." Seeing Raven nod Will started to read the instructions, careful to not miss any detail.

The two others watched the young Drow drown herself in the scroll, Raven with a soft smile and Elyon with a hint of surprise, knowing of a spell with similar name. 'He's giving her such a useful spe- Invocation that early? Is she ready for it?' She turned to Raven who was already looking at her as if he was only waiting for the question. Before Elyon could open her mouth he spoke, "Don't worry about it being beyond her. I am only giving her low level spells and Invocations; she doesn't have the reserves yet for higher levels." Accepting this Elyon went silent, studying Will as she read.

Will by now had read the scroll five times and was sure that she had it down. Slowly she rolled the scroll up again and looked at Raven with determination in her eyes. "I think... no, I know I can do this one." Raven nodded and stood up, swiftly doing the small jump onto the ring, "Then come up here and let us test it out." Will followed him, her heart beating despite her conviction to win. "Ready when you are," said Raven.

Will closed her eyes, concentrating for a bit before starting to gather Eldritch power in her chest. As she thought she had enough she started to push out out of her whole body. She felt the power leaving but it did not vanish. She felt as if she wrapped herself in it.

Elyon saw how Will closed her eyes before suddenly her whole skin started to glow very faintly in chaotic colors. Then small wisps of power filtered out of her body, forming a kind of..... sphere around Will. Elyon watched in fascination, the play of chaotic colors of all kinds nearly hypnotizing her.

Raven was watching with a smirk, feeling the strength of the shield to be adequate for Will's level of progress. 'She's good. Better than I was on my first try.' His right hand reached into his pockets, pulling out a handful of pebbles. Smiling he flicked one at Will, only to see it's course change when it tried to pass the barrier, getting deflected a good 7 inches off Will. Throwing a few more at different targets Raven got the same result and nodded to himself.

"Will, stop channeling." Will opened her eyes and saw a perplexed Elyon and a proudly smiling Raven. "You did good Will. But you don't need to channel that much power. Only a short burst and depending on the potency of your reserves it will stay up for some time." "How.... how long can you do it," asked Will shyly, earning a small chuckle from the man. "When I use the standard burst required... I would say around 40 minutes." Will stared at the man with wide eyes as her own field started to shimmer and finally collapsed.

Shaking the shock from her system Will turned her attention back to the scrolls. She was uncertain what scroll to open next; on one hand she wanted to learn about the Hexblade's Curse, on the other hand she was curious what the other Invocation was. She was torn between the two but finally picked the second Invocation, 'If it goes as easy as before I will have more time to finish with the Curse scroll.'

She broke the second seal and read the name aloud, "Eldritch Spear." She looked up at Raven, "I read about that. It greatly increases the range of the Eldritch Blast without loosing strength or aim." He nodded with a smile. "Indeed. So go ahead." Will quickly turned her attention back to the scroll and started to read. The idea was surprisingly easy and she probably could have figured it out alone with a small nudge into the direction.

After just two times reading the scroll Will looked around and spotted a target on the far end of the yard. Raising her right palm towards it Will started to concentrate. 'More dense...... smaller space..... more force......' Those three directions played over and over in Will's mind as the glow around her hand started to strengthen while gathering in the middle of her palm. Soon the glow was only of the size of a gold coin, roughly 1.5 inches, and Will opened her eyes.

She concentrated on the target, took careful aim and then the condensed projectile shot from her hand at a fast pace, covering the ground between to target swiftly before hitting it dead center. But that was not all: the Eldritch Spear pierced right through the target and was only stopped by the Stone wall behind the target. Raven let out a whistle, "Wow. That was very good for a first timer. Enough power to blast through 3 inches of wood and 5 inches of straw." Will couldn't help the blush on her cheeks as he praised her.

Raven was very, VERY satisfied with Will. 'One has only to give her the attention and she grows and grows. We can expect lots from her in the future.' "Well, time for the last thing." He held the third and last scroll of the day to her and Will swiftly broke the Seal and dove into reading.

This was way more complex than she had thought at first. 'Oh Eilistraee..... this will be harder.' Deciding that she needed more information she turned to Raven to ask questions. And Heaven was he able to answer them.

-----Destiny commands All----

After two hours of questions Will was sure enough of herself to try it for the first time. Raven had been a very patient teacher but also firm. If Will had asked questions that would unveil things beyond her reach and power he would refuse to answer but he always told her why.

Will closed her eyes and started to reach within herself. She quickly found her Eldritch might bubbling just under the surface but Raven had warned her that she needed to reach deeper, the Eldritch might easily overpowering her Hexblade powers. She slowly pushed aside the Eldritch, very slowly reaching deeper and deeper within her. She passed the last layer of Eldritch might and found.... nothing. She started to wonder that soon turned into fear.

A sudden hand tapping her shoulder broke her out of her concentration and she looked up at the face of a smiling Raven. "Very well done Will but you could have taken things a bit easier." She gave him a confused look before he stepped aside and her eyes widened. All over the yard things had.... blown up. Weapon racks had been blown to bits, the weapons strew over the courtyard, a few windows had exploded and both Raven and Elyon looked ruffed up, their hair wild and clothes crinkly. "What.... happened?"

Raven laughed softly, sitting back down on the edge of the ring. "Something that should have happened over years and not suddenly at once. Normally the Bad Luck of a Hexblade shows itself through small incidents in their young life. Walking through a shop and suddenly things fall out of the shelves without cause, people tripping over their own feet, a superior sword fighter suddenly loosing to a novice. With your Eldritch might overpowering this this Bad Luck waited for a chance to break loose and when you did it lashed out, 'catching up on the lost time' if you want to call it that."

He smiled at Will as he pulled out a small, plain dagger from his belt. He placed the tip on one finger tip and started to balance the weapon with easy. "Do you feel it? A small string that calls for you?" Will looked at the display and indeed she felt as if there were a few strings she could 'pull on'. Curiously she reached out with her mind and pulled on one string. The effect was instant. As if tipped by someone the dagger started to falter before it fell to the ground

"Very good Will. You have a grasp on the basic idea of all your Hexblade powers," said Raven as he inspected the small cut the dagger made on his gloved finger. "But I think it's enough for today." Will nodded. She felt the effects the training had on her mind. She felt tired, mentally exhausted after all this.

Elyon was amazed at how far Will had come in just one afternoon. 'She has double her collection of spells, spell-like abilities and understanding of her classes primal abilities. He may be some weird man but Raven knows his stuff.'

The male was smiling proudly at Will. "Alright, I've got one last thing: show me the weapon Zaden has given you should you venture outside of town with Elyon." "It's upstairs in my room," said Will in a meek voice. Raven simply nodded, "Then go and get it." Will slowly stood up and walked towards the door leading to the inside. Once out of sight she all but ran upstairs, blowing doors nearly off the hinges and rushing for her room. Once she stood inside her eyes landed on her desk, and the steel weapon on it.

It was a plain Longsword in a black leather sheath, the sheath connected to a black belt forming a set. The hilt was plain, the handle wrapped with stripes of black cloth to improve the grip one had on it with naked hands. Will quickly picked the sword before rushing back down, stopping in front of the door leading outside to catch her breath. As she was breathing nearly normal again she stepped outside, seeing Raven and Elyon in a slight conversation. As she walked closer Will picked up enough to figure out the young girl tried to find out from where Raven knew her Mother.

The man looked up at Will an smiled softly, "There was no rush and no need to run through the house." Will blushed slightly at being caught, "How...?" "Your heartbeat is still faster then it should be," was his answer as he held his hand out for the sword, "May I?" Will quickly nodded and handed him the weapon. Raven took it, drawing the blade with his right hand and giving it a critical look. "Hm..... normal steel..... well forged, I admit that much..... though the sharpening process was rushed..... the smith obviously was barely able to keep the deadline...."

He looked up at Will, his eyes serious but at the same time comforting, "Tell me Will, how well do you think this weapon fits you? Not in design but in usability." Will shifted where she stood, not wanting to upset Zaden but at the same time she wanted to tell Raven the truth..... "It.... it's a bit heavy..... hard to handle at times......." Raven nodded, sheathing the blade and placing it next to him on the ring. "Will, in respect to what you have been able to achieve today I have a reward for you." He reached under his coat on his back, and pulled a small pouch from his belt.

Elyon gasped as she saw the plain blue material, black string and the small metal stars around the edges. "Oh Knight.... is this....?" "A Pouch of Holding, smaller cousin to the Bag of Holding? Indeed it is," said Raven with a smile as he opened it and reached with his hand inside. After a second he pulled his hand out, his fingers wrapped around an object jacketed in black clothe. The object had a long, slim shape, probably 4 feet long.

Will had a suspicion what it was and gave him a strange look. He only smiled at her slightly, holding the weapon out to her, "Take it. You earned it in my eyes." Will took the object, surprised it was not as heavy as she thought. She sat down on the ground, placing the object in her lap as she started to careful unwrap it. After the last layer was pulled off a small gasp came from Will's mouth. In her lap lay another sword, sheathed in purple leather that was ornate with silvery metal in form of Drow words. She ran her fingers softly over the words, translating them into common and whispering them aloud, "'Protection', 'Acceptance', 'Friends'."

The hilt was of pure black metal, the handle wrapped in purple cloth. With trembling hands Will drew the sword from its sheath, revealing silver-white metal, sharpened at both sides and utterly stainless. In the middle of the sword were Drow words engraved, repeating what was written on the sheath over and over. She carefully traced the edge and realized just how sharp the sword was. Slowly she took hold of the handle with her right hand, easily able to lift it and wielding it in one hand with a bit training.

Will looked up at Raven, her eyes wide and tears forming in them slowly. Elyon was staring at the sword, eyes wide and mind only thinking one thing over and over. "Raven.... is that... Mithral.....?" The man looked at the Elf, smiling softly, "Indeed it is." Silence followed his words as both girls stared at him. "Mithral......," repeated Will as she slowly realized that this sword held great value. "Why.......? why..... give me.... something this.... valuable......?" "Because I want you to have it," stated Raven simply, keeping his warm smile. "It has one or the other enchantment but you have to figure them out yourself."

Will was staring at the weapon in her hand, tears slowly flowing down her cheeks and dripping on the metal. Her mind was a jumbled mess, barely able to process what he had said and done for her today. Very slowly, keeping her head down, Will sheathed the sword, wrapped it up again and placed it carefully on the ground. She then turned to Raven, her bangs covering her eyes from him or Elyon. Suddenly she lunged forward, tackling the man to his back and wrapping her arms around him, sobbing into his chest.

This time Raven had expected something like this and returned the hug, rubbing softly over the girl's back. "Hush, it's okay." He looked up and saw Elyon's face filled with shock and confusion, "Why.... why are you doing this?" "For several reasons. One would be that Weira asked me to protect her and I WILL do this to the best of my ability, no matter through what means. Another would be that I don't want to see her die only because of her blood and the stupidity of the rivin."

After some time Will ran out of tears and calmed down. She sat up and wiped her eyes dry, "Raven... how.... how can I ever repay you?" "You need and will NOT repay me in any way; it was my choice alone to craft and enchant this sword and give it to you. But you can promise me something." Will looked into his eyes and nodded quickly, "Everything." Raven chuckled slightly at this, "Careful, I might hold you to it. But what I want is the promise to train hard with your sword; in less than 4 weeks the Weapon Class has a joined field trip and you are bound to find use for the sword."

Both girls nodded at this when Elyon pointed something out, "Raven.... why are you still lying on your back?" The man chuckles softly, closing his eyes, "Because Will is still sitting in my lap and if I sat up it could look... questionable. Some people might think I had impure intentions with her." Both girls flushed scarlet at his words and Will all but jump off him. Raven simply laughed as he sat up, "Easy there."

He looked up into the sky, seeing how the sun started to slowly set before he stood up. "I guess it's time for me to go. Remember to practice Will, you might have found your Bad Luck but you need to train with it before you can use it in combat." Will nodded, still blushing slightly while she spoke meekly, "I will lead you outside." Raven nodded before he turned to Elyon, giving her a slight bow so his lisp were practically brushing her over her ear, "Take care of her; she's a Keeper." Elyon blushed as he pulled back and gave her a wink. The Elf spun around so no one would see the blush, "Go, I will start cleaning the place up while you lead him outside." "I will be back soon to help you," said Will as she started to walk off with Raven.

The unlikely duo soon stood at the gates of the estate, the walk having passed in comfortable silence. At the gate Will turned to Raven, "I.... I don't know... how to th-" "Cut it out Will; I want no thanks for doing the right thing." he knelt down to her height and looked into her eyes, "Just remember, you have friends now that will help you. They trust you, you should trust them too; especially Elyon." He stood back up after she had nodded with misty eyes and placed his hands on her shoulders. "One thing before I forget: the sword is one of two; a set meant to be used in tandem. If you chose the path of 'two pointy things' and prove yourself the second one will be yours as well."

Will stared at him as he slowly walked away, the setting sun bathing the street in an orange-red light and once more she could have sworn she saw his hair flash to a pure white color. But it was gone as fast as it came as he threw a look over his shoulder and raised his hand. Will gave him a short wave before he rounded a corner and was out of sight. Will's breath was stuck in her throat as she rushed back to help Elyon in cleaning up. Her cheeks were taking a scarlet color as she ran, 'So close..... so close.....'

-----Destiny commands All----

The sun had soon set fully and cast the lands in darkness. Will and Elyon were getting into bed, Will happily snuggling up against Elyon, feeling a warm glow in her chest. Elyon held the shorter girl, feeling the warmth and couldn't help the smile. Elyon reached over and extinguished the last candle and plugging the room into darkness.

Unknown to them they had an audience. In the tress stood a robed figure, observing the happenings inside the room. 'By all that I hold dear Will I promise you, I will not let you suffer Fate as long as I can prevent it.' "The first move has been made, the players move and wait for Fate." The figure observed the room as it went dark and then disappeared in a burst of Arcane. From deep within the shadows a new, shorter figure stepped into the rays of the moon, a dark green hooded robe not revealing any feature but a set of sparkling teal eyes, 'What is happening here? What is the truth?'

-----Destiny commands All----

cut, copy, archive.

Well, it seems like Raven is really serious about training Will. First two useful Invocations, then her Hexblade instructions AND a new enchanted sword! The old bird is really going all out on this one.

For those who are not familiar with the metal mithral here a short list of properties: mithral is a very light metal compared to steel and a semi-rare ore. due to those two properties mithral is often used for the weapons and armors of nobles or high ranking officers. Adventurers with the need gold are also able to purchase/request those items if they have good connections to the local blacksmith.

That is it for today, hope you enjoyed the chapter.

Until the Next time,

Nelo Akuma

(don't forget to review)

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	10. Into the Fire they are thrust

Good Day Ladies and Gentlemen.

welcome back to the next Chapter and this time around we'll see a little bit of action: it is the day of the field trip. i can't really say much else without spoiling the chapter.

now, thanks for reviewing (as well as for being someone to talk through ideas in some cases) go to: **XV-Dragon**, **Greki**, **Baran3** and **Carlalalita**.

enjoy the ride.

-----Destiny commands All----

Time ticked by very quickly for Will and her small group of friends and it was no time until the day came: the day of the field trip.

The Institute's classes had taught every girl new things and raised them to whole different level. Each of them had improved in their weapon wielding leaps and bounds with Raven's help. Their understanding of Arcane casters had increased as well and Taranee had become aware of many things that could endanger her due to her being a Wizard. All five of them had progressed well in their Languages class, with Will remembering lots of her forgotten mother-tongue her and Taranee were fighting for the top rank in this class.

In her private tutoring Will had started to master her spells and abilities, not just know them. She had her Warlock Invocations and her Eldritch Blast down to where she was able to invoke them nearly instantly. Her Hexblade spells were also mastered, needing only a short time of preparation though she did not know how potent her Phantom Threat was. Her swordplay had come along well too. Zaden's basic instructions coupled with Raven's intense beating of katas into her head had made her a good sparing partner for Elyon.

Will had not learned anything new from Raven as he was convinced that she needed to master what she had first before further advancing. Will was not happy about this but she gave in, knowing that she could not force Raven to teach her anything.

Right now the group of five was standing together in front of the Institute's gates, awaiting for details how things would go. Before them and the other students stood their six instructors, Raven taking the commanding position and it was obvious that the other teachers were NOT happy with that. But neither dared to speak up to Raven; the man had proven that he "didn't give gob's ass" about what they thought. He outranked them in every sense, be it authority or raw power. No one knew the full and true extent of what he was capable off but his confidence was enough proof to make people think twice about questioning him.

"Listen up you little pseudo-fighters. This will be you first 'adventure' so treat it like one. Be crafty, stay sharp and DON'T die on us; the paperwork is a pain in the ass. So if you die be prepared that I drag your sorry soul's ass back and make YOU fill out the paperwork. What will we do? Just two hours outside of town to the west are the ruins of an old stronghold. It has been raided long ago, true but 90 percent of the traps are still very much active."

"You will enter the ruins from different points in the teams you have trained in. Keep in mind that this is NOT a race! It doesn't matter who reaches the middle watchtower first. Your goal: get into the watchtower and reach the top. Up there we have created a magical transportation circle that will bring you back to base camp. The instructors will NOT be with you so make sure you can bust your own asses out of trouble."

"For those of you thinking about using Spider Climb and simply run up the Tower's outside walls: forget about it. Your whole group needs to be present when the first enters the room. If that is not the case special runes will activate and transport your group back to square one. This WILL heavily dent into your end grades. You must take the long way, if you like it or not. It can very easily happen that you have to spend one or two nights down there, just to be fair and warn you. Hopefully you brought your Essentials."

"Your grades will mostly be determined by how you pass the problems you are faced with so think clearly before jumping into action. In the unlikely situation that you are faced with something you cannot overcome and threatens your very life, each one of you will be given a special runic stone. Their enchantment alerts your instructor instantly and they should appear within only a short time. Should you indeed be faced with life peril and you use the stone your grades will NOT suffer from it; there is no shame in admitting defeat. Should you simply call on them because you are too lazy or stupid.... you DON'T want to know. Any questions?"

His eyes traveled the assembled students, taking in their armament. Many wore heavily ornate weapons, showing off their wealthy status and it made him feel sad. Only a handful wore plain weapons that would actually be able to be used in a fight. Raven did a double take on Cornelia who had NO weapon on herself. The tall blond caught his disappointed look and softly pointed at a rune in the palm of her ungloved right hand. Raven looked closely at it before a smirk broke his face, 'Crafty little Druid.'

"If that is all.... WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU MAGGOTS WAITING FOR?!" His shout caused everyone to jump. "GET YOUR ASSES INTO GEAR AND MOVE OUT! You've got 1 hour to reach base camp! You have a map, use it! NOW GET A MOVE ON!!" Not wanting to anger the freaky male the thirty students rushed towards the west gate, staying in their groups. Raven's face was split in a sadistic grin that made his fellow teachers shiver in fear, "Let the game begin." And with a flash of Arcane he was gone from sight.

-----Destiny commands All----

It was 30 minutes later that the group of Elyon, Will, Taranee, Cornelia and Hay walked out of the woods and into a small clearing set up with round group tents. Cornelia's knowledge of the area had proven invaluable. The Druid had led them safely through the sea of trees after giving the map with the destination only a quick glance. She knew these woods like the back of her hand, navigating through them with closed eyes and half asleep.

They looked around and quickly spotted the only one else besides them: Raven. The male was sitting in the middle of the camp in the lotus position, eyes closed and breathing evenly. It seemed as if.... he was asleep. But the girls by now knew better than that. He was meditating, a technique that made him more aware of his immediate area. As they walked closer he opened his eyes and gave them a small smile, "Good work. Chose one of the tents and get settled in."

They watched how he closed his eyes again and the fivestarted to check the tents. To their surprise there was a clear difference between them. There was one very comfortable one, the ground laid with soft furs and set up on a soft patch of grass while another had no padding at all on the ground, the forest floor beneath it rock hard. "Must be one of his works," muttered Cornelia as the five quickly claimed the most comfortable tent. "Come early and you get better conditions than the one coming last."

The other girls nodded as they set up their bedrolls and made sure they would be comfortable during a night. They came back outside and saw that still no one was there. They were not surprised. While Cornelia had led them off the road and into the woods shortly after exiting the city the rest had stayed on the road, something that Cornelia later said would cost them a lot of time as the road was going over many mountains while going around them in this case was faster.

Seeing that it was at least 40 minutes before the first group would most likely arrive the five went to the edge of base camp, deciding to do some inventory before they had probably to set out after the last team was there. "So, what do you girls have," asked Elyon as she sat down on a clean rock. Taranee went first, pushing her glasses up her nose. "Well, I've got my bow, a total of 75 arrows,as well as 10 Flaming Arrows. I have prepared mostly offensive spells though I have two Mage Armor memorized. Besides that I have 5 Potions of Cure Minor Wounds, some empty scrolls I want to enchant should we have the time and this ring Mom gave me: it can create a magical light so we should not need a torch."

Hay went next, drawing a deep breath, "Well, I got my two daggers and around twenty throwing knifes. I've got enough lock picking tools to loot a bank, some trap kits for easy spring traps, 100 feet wire, 10 Potions of Cure Minor wounds, 5 Scrolls of Magic Missile, 5 Scrolls of Scorching Ray and 5 Scrolls of Fireball. I have a few spells under my belt that will mostly help us in a supporting manner. Lastly Mother gave me her old belt. It's enchanted and can cast Greater Invisibilitycountless times a day."

Cornelia brushed a strand of hair behind her ear as she closer her eyes, "I got spells memorized that would help us survive in battle or treat wounds. Besides that I have a 5 scrolls of Flaming Sphere with me should things go ugly. I have 10 Potions like Hay does but also 3 Potions of Bull's Strength and Cat's Grace each. I'd like to distribute the Bull's strength amongst Elyon, Will and me seeing that we mostly will do most of the close combat. Two of Cat's Grace go to Taranee should she run out of her spells and need to use her bow and the last goes to Hay should she need some for tricky traps. Mom made them and they last pretty long. I also have 5 Vials of Antidote. Besides that all... I also have this." Cornelia held out her right hand to the side and the small rune on palm sprung to life and something appeared in a small flash of light. It was.... a double-bladed Scythe, one blade sprouting from each end of the staff in opposite direction. She let the very exotic weapon disappear into the rune again.

Elyon, after collecting herself from the surprise, went next, "Well, I've got my Longsword, 5 Potions of Cure Moderate Wounds, some rations that should last 2 days for all of us as well as this amulet from Mom that can turn Undead 6 times a day. I have a few Sorceress' offensive spells as well as a few Summoning Spells."

Lastly Will told what she had, "I haven't got not much. Same potions as Elyon as well as rations, some wire like Hay but only 30 feet and the Longsword Raven gave me.... though I still have to find out its enchantments."

Knowing what they had to work with the five were about to plan out some strategies when a commotion was heard from down the road. Little later and the rest of the class walked into the camp as well as the teachers. The five girls stood up and walked back to where Raven sat on the ground. "You are all late; all besides my own group," stated the man dryly as he stood up. Some murmurs and pointed looks at the five girls followed but Raven wasted no time. "Enough chatter; pick your tents and then you have 10 minutes to get prepared." "WHAT?!" "But we just arrived!" "I am tired!" "I need some rest!" "SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

Silence filled the camp after Raven's shout and he glared at everyone. "You think I care? If you had planned ahead you would have reached this place sooner and would have had time to rest and recover. Tough shit now, so suck it up; you're setting out in ten minutes. Each group goes with their instructor to a different entry point where they will get their emergency runes and then sent down. Time's a wasting, get a move on."

Dark curses and insults filled the air as each group went into a tent and prepared.... or not. The five girls simply waited with Raven, being already set to head out. 15 minutes later and one group was still missing. Everyone saw how Raven was getting impatient and edged away from the man. Another minute later and still nothing happening set him finally off. He stood in front of the tent that help the group and with a small sign of his right hand and a simple word a gust of wind burst from his body and blew away the tent entirely. The inhabitants were also blown over the hard ground, getting several bruises and cuts as they were blown into a few rose bushes. Surprisingly only 4 people had been blown away as the fifth member had been in time.

While the four slowly crawled out of the bushes, looking way worse for wear, Raven turned to the fifth member and saw a brunette with teal eyes in a brown/black attire. "At least someone in your group knows the meaning of Time. Lair, I appoint you as group leader for this from now on, overruling your instructor's decisions." Irma nodded slowly as she walked over to her 'team' to check on how badly they were banged up.

Turning his attention back to the majority he went for his group, speaking while he headed out of camp, "What are you waiting for? You got your instructions; MOVE OUT!" And with that he led his group into the woods.

-----Destiny commands All----

It was barely 10 minutes later when the six broke through the bushes and stood in front of a ruined stronghold. It's walls and watchtowers rose high into the sky and their gray-black stone was an intimidating sight. Before them a set of stairs led down to a wooden door that led obviously into the cellar. "Alright girls, this is your entrance. But first the Stones." He handed each girl a smooth, round stone of ruby red color, a black circle on it. It looked very much like his own eyes. "Just channel some of your magic into them and I will be there ASAP. But remember: only in life's peril." The girls nodded as they pocketed the stones carefully.

Raven nodded as he led them down the stairs and without a thought blasted the lock on the door with a Eldritch Blast. Throwing open the doors he took the first step inside the cellar. Torches enlightened the first hallway before it turn right. "This is where we part. Remember what you learned, trust your instincts and be prepared for more than just traps. The ruins were never cleared out of monsters. Should be nothing beyond Goblins but be wary." "Yes," said the five in one voice before they headed down the hallway. Raven looked after them until the last, Taranee, walked around the corner. Walking back outside he look into the sky, "Show us what you are made of Will."

-----Destiny commands All----

Cornelia and Elyon were taking point left and right, Will between them and slightly behind, after her was Taranee while Hay brought up the rear, checking behind them from time to time. "Something is wrong here," muttered Will as they slowly made their way through tunnels. "She is right," said Hay lowly from the back, "This is too easy. We've been walking for too long without something happening." "Would you two please stop that," hissed Cornelia. "Be happy we're not running into trouble."

"Stop!" Everyone froze in mid step at Hay's shout, slowly turning to her. The girl's slowly turned to the Rogue who was staring at a small tile in the floor Elyon was about to step on. "No matter what you do, do NOT step on this tile. Something about it is fishy." Very slowly everyone stepped back from the tile, especially Elyon was very careful. Hay leaned down to inspect the tile, her eyes focused and sharp.

"It's a trap," mumbled Hay as she looked around at the walls. "But I know not what kind of trap or how to disable it. I see no real mechanism and it seems like there is more than this tile." The five fell into thought before Elyon looked back down the corridor they came, "Weren't there benches and a table in the last room we passed? Couldn't we use them to build a bridge?" "That could work," said Hay with a grin on her face before the five walked back.

Inspecting the wood Cornelia sighed, "We can only use the table and one of the benches; the rest is close to falling apart." "That should be enough," said Hay slowly. "Let's get to work girls," muttered Will lowly as she and Elyon grabbed the table and lifted it slightly off the ground with both of them groaning; that damned table was heavier than it looked. Behind them came Cornelia and Hay, carrying the bench while Taranee walked between the four, making sure that her ring gave everyone enough light to see.

Soon they were back at the trap corridor and Will and Elyon slowly started to push the table down over the tiles. Suddenly they seemed to have hit a trap tile as there was a 'Swish' and something hit the stone with a metallic sound. "Figures," muttered Hay as she peered ahead into the dark. "Arrow traps, plain but effective." "We just have to keep our heads low," said Elyon only to have Hay shake her head no, "I doubt it. This trap is clever, I am sure that they have arrow holes at different highs."

Silently Will and Elyon went back to pushing the 10 feet table until they could go no further without risking to step on a trap tile. "Hay, go check if we already have passed all traps," said Elyon. Will was looking into the darkness, her eyes spotting something down the hall. "Stop," hissed Will lowly as she strained her eyes to get details. "What's wrong," whispered Cornelia. "Something's down the hall; let me have a look first, my eyes are the best down here in the dark. Taranee, please cover up the ring."

Taranee swiftly did as she was told and they were soon covered in blackness. They could barely make out Will's silhouette as she silently climbed onto the table and walked down in a crouch.

Will strained her eyes, keeping them fixed on the movement down the corridor. 'Could be a goblin.... Raven said there would probably be some down here....' Slowly she reached the edge of the table and knelt down on one knee. She focused on the creature before her and was not sure it was a goblin. 'We can't risk an attack in close range, we know not how far these traps go and we shouldn't waste one of their spells or scrolls just yet....'

Slowly Will started to gather her power in her right hand, a purple glow seething out of her glove and gathering in her palm. It took little time until she had a small condensed ball of Eldritch might in her hand and she started to aim carefully. 'I've only got one shot at this; if I miss or don't kill it, it will run to get help. I don't want to find out just how crawling with monsters this place is.' Weighting her chances Will calmed down her breath until it was little more than small rises of her chest, the rest of her body still.

'Any moment..... any moment..... NOW!' And with that she thrust her hand out and the Eldritch Spear shot from her hand without a sound, swiftly covering the distance and hitting the shadow square through the head. The shadow dropped with a small thud and Will smiled as she made her way back to the group.

"I found something of the size of a goblin. It's taken care off but from now on we need to be more careful," whispered Will as Taranee revealed the ring again, casting a soft green light and handing it to Hay who took it and swiftly crawled over the table, scanning the ground for any trap hint. After a short while Hay came back, "No more traps as far as I can see but that does not mean there are no more further down."

"Hay, take point; Elyon and I are right behind you; Taranee after Hay and Will brings up the rear." "That's not the best idea Cornelia," said Will while shaking her head softly. "No offense but my eyes are the best down here. Maybe I should take point with Hay and you bring up the rear with Elyon. You ARE the best close combat fighters we have so you would be able to hold of an ambush for a bit." "She got a point there Cornelia," said Elyon softly. Cornelia blinked a few times before sighing, "You're right... damn...."

And so the five swiftly crawled one by one over the table and down to where Will had killed the creature. They five stood around the dead body of not a goblin but a hobgoblin. "Must have been sitting," muttered Taranee as she inspected the large hole in its head. "This could get troublesome," mumbled Cornelia. "If there are more of them down here this could become more than we can handle." "Relax Cornelia," muttered Elyon, her eyes scanning down the corridor.

While the others talked Will leaned down to the dead body and started to search through its pockets. "Will! What are you doing," hissed Elyon. "Who knows what it has on it. Could have a key or gold or other things of use," whispered Will as she found something in the monster's pockets. Pulling it out she held a small pendant in her hand, "See? It got something." Letting the pendant disappear in one of her pockets Will stood up again, "Let's get going. The faster we finish this the better."

The four others slowly fell into step behind Will, slightly bothered how she could search the corpse so easily. Hay was the only one who could guess what might be the Drow's motives, 'Take what you can get and make the best out of your situation; you would make a fine Rogue Will.'

The five sneaked through the corridors, eying every shadow for another enemy. Will's brain was pumping adrenaline through her body, placing a small smirk on her lips. The blood pumping through her veins was calling for battle, calling to be let loose. Soon they came to a small room, two hobgoblins sitting at a table and playing some weird game with small stones. "Great," mumbled Elyon in a bitter voice, "More of them." "We have to take out both at once or they will ring the alarm or something like that," whispered Will as she scanned the room sharply.

"Will.... you are starting to scare me," admitted Elyon with a worried voice. Will's head shot up as she stared at the Elf, shock clear in her eyes. "You are getting so... vicious all of the sudden," muttered Elyon, looking away from the Drow. Will felt as if her heart had been ripped out of her chest and her head fell. "Let her be Elyon," hissed Cornelia suddenly. "All Drow are pretty vicious in battle, it's just in her blood. This does not change who she is; everyone changes once they go into battle."

Will looked at Cornelia, her eyes transporting silent thanks to the Druid and the blond only smiled softly. Elyon by now was looking at Will, her eyes held low, "I am sorry Will... it is just...." "Shush, later; now we have to worry about getting out of here alive," muttered Will as she looked back into the room. Taranee stepped next to her, speaking lowly, "I can take one of them if you can get the other." "You sure," asked Will as she watched how the Elf besides her readied her bow and placed an arrow on the string. "I am sure; just be ready to drop the right one." Will nodded silently as she prepared another Eldritch Spear in her left hand.

The three others were holding their breath as the two Elves prepared themselves. Neither of the two moved a muscle, Taranee holding the bow tightly and the string pulled back. Then without warning the arrow shot from the string and was a split second later lodged in the hobgoblins unprotected skull. A blink later and the Eldritch Spear pierced straight through the second one's head, blasting a hole clear through. The two looked at each other and nodded, Taranee placing her bow back on her belt.

Slowly the five moved into the room, Elyon and Hay with their weapons at the ready. There was little in the room besides the table and two stools in the middle. Heaps of rags were lying around, probably serving as bedding. Besides that only a small chest in one corner caught the interest of Hay and Will. The two quickly moved over and carefully opened the lid. Inside they found nothing of great value, mostly rags and torn clothes. But under that all they found a small dagger, one foot in total length.

Will who had found the dagger handed it to Hay, "Take it; should you loose one of yours you've got a spare." Hay nodded and placed the dagger inside of one of her many hidden pockets. They then moved to inspect the corpses while the other three checked the corridor leading out of the room. They soon came back with sore looks. "We found a locked metal door; no chance of getting through by force," said Elyon as she was trying hard to ignore the blood seeping from the corpses as Will and Hay shifted them around. "Maybe this will help," said Hay happily as she pulled a small, crude key from her corpse.

Quickly the five went back to the door and Hay slid the key into the key hole. She tried to turn it softly but it wasn't moving a single inch. She used some more force and suddenly the key moved and a loud 'CLICK' rang in the air. The five froze as the echo sounded through the cellar and they held their breaths, listening intently for any other sound. After minutes of silence they dared to breath again and Hay slowly pulled open the door.

Another corridor lay before them, empty and silent. They looked at each other and everyone shrugged before they walked down into the darkness.

-----Destiny commands All----

The group of five had slowly and carefully made their way through the cellar for five hours by now. They had come across a few more hobgoblins but never more than two at once, giving Will and Taranee always the time to pick them off silently and without risk. Right now the group stood before another closed and locked door, Hay kneeing before it and her tongue stuck between her teeth as she tried to pick the lock. Will was uneasy, shifting from one foot on the other.

"Would you please stop that," hissed Hay suddenly. "I am trying to concentrate here." "Sorry..... it's just..... I got a bad feeling about this....." Three of them gave Will a questioning look when the lock clicked slightly. "Finally," breathed Hay as she carefully collected her tools. Opening the door wide Hay was suddenly slammed with a strange smell that nearly made her puke. "Oh my....." The five slowly stepped into the large room, covering their noses and mouths with the sleeves of their shirts/robes. "This.... this....," whispered Taranee as they stared at the middle of the room, her eyes watering from the stinging smell.

Before them lay the bodies of four humans, their fellow students. They were stripped naked of everything, bodies covered in gashes, bruises and arrows. "What... happened here....," muttered Hay as they slowly walked closer, scanning the room for any trap. "They must have gotten ambushed," muttered Cornelia as she leaned down to the first body, a girl who seemed rather unharmed except for one gash down her back. Cornelia softly pressed down around the wound and greenish goo bubbled from the wound. "Poison."

"Oh Eilistraee," exclaimed Will suddenly as she turned over the body of a boy. "What's wrong," asked Elyon. "This.... this boy.... I remember his face; he was part of the group pissing off Raven.... Irma's group...." The four gasped and quickly turned the two female bodies over. "She's not here....," whispered Hay, her voice filled to the brim with worry. Will suddenly stood up and drew her sword with her right hand, "We have to find her; if she is not here she either escaped or was taken prisoner."

They looked around and saw three other corridors leading from the room besides the one they had used. "We split up; Cornelia and Taranee take the left one; Elyon and me take the right one; Hay, use that belt and take the middle one. We head down no more than 100 feet before we regroup here." Will's voice was filled with something strange as she gave orders but the four others did as they were told without question.

A bit later the five regrouped, sharing what they found. "Elyon and I only found a cave in, no chance to get through," said Will as she sheathed her sword. "Taranee and I found probably the way they came in; lots of trashed doors. They were not subtle, probably the cause they got discovered." Eyes turned to Hay as she looked down her corridor, "I found a couple of doors, one leading into a large hall and another into a cell complex. Both were empty but seemed like they were used regularly. There was a third, closed door but I didn't dare open it yet."

"This is our best bet," muttered Elyon, "Let's get going." Nodding the five rushed down the corridor, eyes and ears open and ready for anything. They reached the cross section Hay had spoken off and took the third door, running down an new corridor after the first turn they stopped dead in their tracks, red covering the floor in drops. "Blood," whispered Will as she leaned down and touched one of the spots. "Still pretty fresh.... even warm; we must be close." She stood up and the five were off, throwing caution into the wind as they ran.

Hay being first rounded a corner and suddenly stopped, throwing her arms out and blocking her friends as she dashed backwards into them. The four crashed into her, all coming to a suddenly halt. Cornelia was about to open her mouth when Hay looked at them, placing an index finger over her lips. All four became dead silent and then they heard it: flesh banging on wood. Slowly and carefully they looked around the corner and down the corridor.

Down the corridor, maybe 80 feet from them were several hobgoblins, probably around ten or so, armed with various weapons. Two were throwing themselves against a door that seemed locked. They went back around the corner, trying to think of a plan. "We have to take them out fast," muttered Elyon. "Indeed; they could break through that door any second now," agreed Cornelia. "Hay, use one of your Fireball scrolls and blast it at their center," said Will, kneading her bottom lip with her right thumb and index finger. "That should take care of most of them and the rest should be easy pickings for us."

The four nodded, the plan being their best option. Wasting no time Hay dug through her belt pouch and pulled out the scroll, opening it and stepping around the corner. Slowly she read the words form the scroll aloud, catching the attention of many hobgoblins that seemedsurprised for a second. This was all the time Hay needed to finish her incantation, flames bursting from her left hand and she quickly flung it at the group ahead.

A ball of fire of a good foot in diameter flew from her hand and into the middle of the group, exploding with a loud bang and expanding, covering the whole corridor. The screeches of the monsters were like music in their ears as they watched how most of them were swiftly burned to death. A handful survived, badly burned and barely able to stand. Will and Elyon rushed past Hay and into the group, swords drawn and going into swift successions of swipes and stabs.

In no time, the few leftovers fell to steel, their wounds spraying small drops of blood all over the two Elves. Swiftly the girls gathered at the door, seeing that the blast had melted the lock and made it possible to simply brush the door open. Will was the first to peek her head through the door only to pull it back just in time to avoid the arrow that suddenly hit the stone wall. But Will had seen enough to recognize a cowering Irma in the far corner of the room. "Irma! Don't shoot," shouted Will, as she threw the door open wide.

The five now saw Irma, her short bow pointed at Will and a new arrow on the string. "Stay.... away.....," muttered Irma weakly, her arms shaking. "She's been poisoned as well," muttered Cornelia as she saw Irma's pale face and the broken off arrow in her left shoulder. Ignoring Irma Will rushed to her and without a word ripped the bow and arrow from her hands. "Stupid. This is not the time of petty hate." Irma was about to protest but she suddenly had Will's right arm between her teeth. "I am going to pull out the arrow," said Will as she gripped the broken shaft with her left hand and with a sudden pull ripped it out.

Irma's cry was stifled by Will's arm, the Human biting down hard on the Drow's flesh and causing Will to wince. Checking the wound Will noticed that this was a snake poison, something she had had to deal with before. "Cornelia, give me one of those Antidotes." The commanding authority in Will's voice reminded the Druid of a certain instructor as she handed Will the vial and to her surprise Will drank it herself! Before anyone could react Will had pulled down Irma's armor and shirt far enough to see the bare wound. Without missing a beat Will latched her lips around the wound and started to suck hard.

A moment later and she turned away, spitting out some weird green-red colored blood and everyone understood what was happening: Will was trying to suck out the poison from Irma's body. The young Human stared at the frantically working Drow with glassy but confused eyes. "What... are you.... doing....?" Will pulled back just long enough to answer. "I know that poison; Antidotes are useless as long as some of the poison remains in your body. First you have to get it out and THEN you can use an Antidote to cure the damage already done." Will was quickly back to sucking the tainted blood from the wound, the puddle of spit out liquid quickly growing.

Minutes passed in which no one spoke and the only sound was Will's sucking and spitting. After what felt like eternity to Elyon, Cornelia, Taranee and Hay, Will only spit out pure red blood. "Cornelia," said Will, her arm outstretched towards the Druidess. Cornelia handed Will another Vial and Will quickly opened it and dropped a bit directly onto the wounds, rubbing it in with her left fingers. Irma hissed loudly as Will dug one covered finger shortly into the wound before the vial was brought to her lips. "Drink," commanded Will and the Human did as she was told, making a grimace at the bitter taste.

"Elyon, could you cast a Cure Minor Wounds? It probably won't heal fully but it will speed things up." Elyon nodded and stepped forward, sending a short prayer to the Red Knight as she placed her left palm against the wound and a soft light seeped from her hand into Irma. Irma's face relaxed slightly, the Antidote taking effect as well as the healing spell soothed her aching flesh. "We have to get her out of here fast," said Elyon as she stood up and looked around. "Let's go back," said Will as she placed bandages around Irma's shoulder and pulled armor and shirt back up.

She threw Irma's right arm around her shoulders and steadied the girl with her left hand in her armpit as she pulled the Human to her feet. "What do you mean," muttered Irma weakly, her eyes half closed from fatigue. "We are NOT leaving you here," said the five in one voice as they all glared at her. "Cornelia and Hay take point, I'll help Irma, Taranee and Elyon bring up the rear. Let's go!" Without question the others carried out Will's orders and the six started to back track their way, moving as fast as they possibly could.

Not even 20 minutes into their escape they heard sounds from ahead, grunts, screeches and the clatter of metal. "Shit," shouted Hay as she drew her Daggers and Cornelia called upon her Scythe. "You four stay back," shouted Cornelia as the two rushed into the next room, meeting a good number of hobgoblins and they quickly went to work, trying to cut down as many as possible. "Elyon, Taranee: help them, I'll stay with Irma." "But Will-" GO ELYON! They need you more!"

The two Elves looked at Will for a moment before they rushed past, Elyon drawing her Sword and Taranee calling upon her Arcane power.

Will took a few steps forward, dragging Irma along as her free right hand started to glow in a strong purple. "What.... you.... doing," whispered Irma, fighting to stay conscious. "They need all the help they can get and I will be damned if I don't do all I can," growled Will as she sent the first of a good number of Eldritch Blasts down the corridor and into the back of a hobgoblin.

Irma was staring at the Drow besides her, seeing the determined but also fearful look on the Drow's face and finally she understood what the others saw. 'She is different.... she is no monster....' A sound caught her ears and she looked shortly over her shoulder and her eyes snapped open as shock pumped adrenaline through her.

Behind them rushed a gray skinned, savage monster, large ax raised over its head and growling loudly. "WILL! BEHIND YOU! ORC!!"

The red head's blood froze as she heard Irma's shout and looked over her right shoulder. Sure enough the large beast was rushing at them. Without thinking Will spun to her right, placing her body between the Orc and Irma's weak body. Throwing one last Eldritch Blast at the monster she swiftly reached for her sword, ripping it from its sheath and holding it into a high block.

The Orc had taken the Blast to the chest without flinching, running down the corridor and bringing his ax up high before slamming it down on the blocking sword. Will was slammed to her knees, sword and arm still raised to block as her whole body screamed in pain. Another blow slammed into her and dropped her further, her arm shaking and the grip on her sword loosening. Yet another blow crashed down on her and her sword fell from her shaking hand with a loud clatter on the stone floor.

Will looked up at the large beast and saw him raise his right fist. In a last, desperate attempt to block Will pulled her right arm up to protect her head just before the fist slammed into her head. The blow sent her to the ground next to Irma, her vision going blurry as she saw something similar happening in the room ahead. She thought she heard the sluggishly spoken common word "Capture" before her vision left her and everything went black.

-----Destiny commands All----

Her whole body hurt, especially her head and right arm. She wanted to reach for her forehead with her left hand but she couldn't move. Slowly her mind ascended from the darkness and her eyes fluttered open. She saw the blurry image of a large cave, torches enlightening the room. She was lying on her side, arms behind her back and something cutting painfully into her wrists. 'Captured once more,' thought the girl bitterly as she slowly pulled her legs close and rolled onto them before slowly raising her torso.

She looked up and noticed the cage around her. Suddenly a mob of blond-white hair appeared in her vision. "Will! Are you alright?!" "E-E-Ely-on.....?" Will blinked a few times and her vision became clearer. It was indeed Elyon, even though her hair was a mess and her clothes had splits and cuts everywhere and her armor was gone. "Where.... are we....?" "We don't know. We were knocked out like you. Like everyone else."

Will blinked and looked around, now noticing the others in the enormous cage. She realized that everyone was there besides the four dead students; even the instructors had been captured and bound..... all but Raven.... The crazy man was no where to be seen and that was the only light of hope Will could find. .... Unless.... "This place is crawling with Orcs," said Elyon suddenly, glaring at one of the savage beasts patrolling around the cage.

"Most of them are still out, searching for Raven," came Cornelia's voice suddenly from behind Will. "So he is still alive," whispered Will, relief clear in her voice. "That won't hep us," cried on of the instructors. "We will all die!" "Shut mouth human," barked one of the Orcs and slammed a Club into the bars. Will looked around to take in their situation and place.

The cave was large, stalagmites sticking from the ground in small clusters here and there. Crude steps lead up to a raised area with a large throne like seat. Behind it was the only opening leading into the cave, closed off by a massive door. At least 30 Orcs were patrolling around them, all armed with some kind of club or ax.

"How long was I out," asked Will in a low voice, looking around for Taranee, Hay and Irma. She found them quickly, both girls tending to a heavily sweating Irma as best as they could, bound as they were. "A few hours would be my guess," said Elyon. "The blow you got must have been very hard, your head was bleeding slightly even as we came around," mumbled Cornelia. "Elyon managed to heal it somehow while nearly breaking her arms in the process."

Will turned to the Elf and nodded her thanks, "Was anyone of you able to call for Raven?" "No. We couldn't search,but they have taken everything else we had,so I doubt we'll still have the stones." Will sighed as suddenly her ears perked up along with a couple of other Elven ears. "Someone is coming," whispered Will, listening intently. "Heavy steps.... long pause between them.... someone large and heavily armored I guess."

Moments later and the door leading into the cave was blown open and all Orcs turned to face it. Through the door stepped a giant of an Orc, easily reaching 8 feet. He was built of pure muscles, a pitch black metal Chest Plate covering him while an enormous, wickedly jacked Zweihänder rested on his back. Small red eyes scanned the room and every Orc raised his weapon in greeting as it seemed.

Slowly the Orc who was very likely their Chieftain was walking down the stairs, glaring at each captive when one of the others stepped close and seemed to whisper something to him. The Chieftain nodded sharply and walked up to the cage, pinning Will with a piercing glare. "Men say you Warlock; that true?" His voice was gruff and rough but he was clearly more intelligent than any other Orc. "What if," shot Will back. "Why fight you do for them?"

Will glared at the Orc, hatred burning deep in her eyes, "Because some of them are my friends!" "But why fight for not friends? Why us fight you do?" "So what? Should I just let them all die and sit back?! I may carry cursed blood but I am no Devil!" Will had risen up to kneeling, shouting at the Chieftain. "You strange one; where is last one? Where last big one?" Will needed a moment before she made the connection.

"I don't know." "Lie you do. You know. He your leader; he gave you magic." the Chieftain held out one hand with a bag, opening it and pulling and red round stone from it. "Everyone has; six the same one; but we miss the six big one. We have five: where last one?" "I don't know! We were sent down here alone!" The Chieftain stared down at the small Drow, fierce red-gold staring into pure red. "You no lie..... you not know..." Will was shocked as the Chieftain suddenly reached with his enormous hand through the bars, holding the small stone between massive fingers.

"You use. Call big one." "What?!" "You call, you live. I no search want. I tire of it. You use." "NO!" The Chieftain glared, "Why no? Why no call help?"

Before Will could answer him there were suddenly shouts echoing through the tunnel leading to the cave. Everyone turned and looked up, screams of pain and death ringing loudly. Suddenly a small group of heavily wounded Orcs rounded the corner barely visible in the tunnel, their faces ones of utter fear. "BIG ONE! FIRE USE!!" The Orcs tried to run down the tunnel but the first ones fell and and blocked the others. Suddenly the tunnel corner was enlightened in red.

Time seemed to slow down as a fire wall rushed around the corner, crashing into the stone before being forced into the only free space: down the tunnel. The Orcs frantically tried to escape but they were consumed by the flames in split seconds, their cries of terror, fear, pain and death ringing loudly before they died away. A large tongue of flames burst into the room, destroying everything in its path and everyone crouched down in fear. The stream retracted into the tunnel, the tunnel still filled with patches of flames, flickering slightly as a new sound reached the cave: the sound of boots hitting stone ground.

Everyone held their breath as a shadow appeared in the flames, slowly drawing closer and seemingly unharmed by the inferno. Slowly the shadow grew, revealing a humanoid sized being, a long weapon in its right hand. Then the shadow stepped outside of the flames and revealed itself. Gasps were heard all around as the being stood there, hair falling into his face and covered in blood from head to toe. The weapon turned out to be a sword, a Bastard Sword to be precise while the left hand of the man glowed purple. A red coat covered him, black armor and pants splattered with life essence. The man raised his head slowly, burning red eyes making the Orcs shrink back.

The people in the cage stared at the male and five shouts of happiness were heard. "RAVEN!!"

The instructor stood in the door, eyes roaming the cave and counting his foes. His left hand fisted while the glow around it started to cover his whole arm and with no warning he threw it out in an arc. A large and steady stream of Eldritch might burst free, hitting the first Orc and ripping straight through his chest before the ray changed course and went for the closest next Orc. The ray hit 12 of the Orcs before it died off and Will stared in awe at the sheer power, whispering a name, "Eldritch Chain."

Raven was slowly walking towards the edge of the raised area, his steps slow, determine and steady. "You made your worst foe this night," he spoke in a voice that promised death in its cruelest form. The Orcs shrank back even more, fear taking a strong hold in their minds. With a wave of his hand and a mumbled word, hisshadow suddenly began to bubble, twist and turn before it rose slowly from the ground, taking the form of a canine breed, double the size of a dog or wolf. Burning red eyes appeared from the depths of darkness that formed its body and the shadow beats opened its jaws wide, giving a mighty roar.

Raven slowly glared at the Orcs besides the Chieftain before giving the shadow creature a short command. "Sick 'em!" The shadow suddenly jumped down and its maw closed around an Orc's throat, tearing a huge junk out and killing him instantly before leaping for the next Orc.

Raven himself had jumped down as well, his sword held high above his head before the fell and swung his blade down at the Chieftain, "DIE!!" Somehow the Chieftain managed to draw his own massive sword and block the powerful blow. Sparks flew from their blades as the two men tried to overpower the other. Suddenly Raven pulled his leg upwards, placing his feet against the Orc's bladed and pushed back, propelling himself backwards. He flipped in the air and landed in a crouch, sword held out to his right while his left hand steadied him.

The Chieftain, due to the lack of resistance, stumbled forwards and right into Raven as the man shot forwards himself, swinging his blade in a wide arc. Without much resistance Raven's sword cut deep into the Chieftain's abdomen, making the Orc howl in pain and swing his sword wildly. Raven ducked under the swing, pulling his sword close to his body, pointing the tip upwards.

Then he leaped up, thrusting up his sword with a roar and stabbing it through the Orc's throat and out his neck. The Chieftain's body grew limp above Raven before it dropped forward on the Human. But as if the giant weighed nothing, Raven threw the man off to the side, the crash with the ground echoing loudly over the cries of the last Orc being ripped apart by the shadow canine.

Raven simply glared down at the felled Orc, whipping the blood from his blade at the dead's clothes. "You spill blood, you pay in blood." His voice was still dark and filled with rage as he turned to the caged people. He stepped closer and with two simple swings he cut through the metal bars. "Is everyone more or less alive?" "We will pull through," muttered one of the other instructors. "Good." He went and cut away the bounds of his students before giving each a small dagger, "Free them; I prepare our escape." "But our weapons and armor," cried one of the male students only to get a glare. "That has already been take care of. Now shut up."

Silence reigned as the five girls freed everyone, feeling very uneasy as the shadow canine still walked through the corpses, eating flesh here and there or simply tearing off limps. Raven was focused as his body crackled with Arcane might. He held the power level easily as it seemed, waiting for everyone to be freed. Once each one was free of their chains he turned to the shadow canine, "Leave." The beast bowed its head as it seemed and slowly melted down into Raven's shadow.

He turned back to face the others, "Three people grab onto me, and the rest onto those. If not possible get into third row. We're leaving." "How," asked a student and Raven simply answered, "Dimensional Gate." Not giving further explanation Raven went silent as he waited. It took a few moments but finally everyone was able to grab onto someone connected with Raven. "Ready," asked the man lowly only to get a few affirmative answers. "Then brace yourselves." Arcane might burst from his body, covering the whole cave with a light flash before it disappeared, leaving an empty cave behind.

-----Destiny commands All----

They whole group suddenly appeared in the middle of the camp site and all fell to the ground, their heads spinning. "Never again," muttered Raven as he shook his head to get clear of the confusion. "Never again in large numbers." He slowly righted himself and stood up. "Listen up! We stay here for the night. To the south east is a river. Everyone can wash up there." the students were about to jump up and run when he kept speaking. "HOWEVER! You will do so in shifts. First the females, then the males."

Groans and complaints from the males were heard and Raven glared at them. "Shut up maggots or I will let you SLEEP IN THOSE CLOTHES!!" Instantly silence reigned. Raven sighed, "Ladies, the water is yours. You have 90 minutes,so use them wisely." he turned another glare at the males, "And if I hear even the rumor of one of you peeping on them.... I will introduce you to my Hound of Doom once more. Is. That. Clear?" He was met with frightful nods before he sent the girls bathing.

-----Destiny commands All----

Three hours later the whole class sat around a large fire, two deer roasting over the flames. Everyone was cleaned up and in fresh clothes. Most of the teens were chattering away like nothing happened but a few people were still thinking about the day and what happened. This group consisted of Elyon, Will, Hay Lin, Taranee, Cornelia and... Irma. The young girl had apologized for she had done, begging for forgiveness with Will only to hear, "I forgave you the moment you warned me about that Orc.".

The six girls were silently talking about what happened and how things could turn out so bad. But mostly.... they talked about one person: Raven. The man had single-handedly routed a whole stronghold full of hobgoblins and Orcs as if it was nothing. He didn't even seem winded until he cast the massive Dimensional Gate. Now he was patrolling around the camp, keeping them safe. He was working like a man possessed, not human but beyond that. And for their life.... they didn't wish for it to be different.

Two hours later, when the moon was high in the sky, Raven sent them to bed. Some complained but a single glare was enough. Everyone had seen what this man was capable of doing and knew that he would not hesitate to force his commands through. The five girls had basically dragged Irma inside, demanding that they would not let her sleep in an empty tent. Not after she had been poisoned and all that.

Raven had seen how the six disappeared in the tent, chatting lightly. 'At least one good thing came out of this catastrophe.'

-----Destiny commands All----

Cut. Copy. Archieve.

Well, that chapter was rather fun to write as it is a short glimps into the workings of a D&D-styled adventure.

now, we had the girls kick some ass, had Irma see her errors as well as see a glimps of Raven's true power; i dare say a lot happened in a rather short time.

people may claim that i am not explaining the setting enough but i consider that not a bad thing; it leaves the reader some space to imagine the story in their own mind and in their own way. only when i am dead-set on nailing down something to the last thing i will go deep into explaining, like character appearance or the look of some monsters

anyway, tell me if you want more gory details in future battles. i don't mind gore but i gathered from experience that most people prefer a "medicore" level of blood and guts spilled.

until the enxt time.

- Nelo Akuma


	11. Going home is easy or is it?

Good Day Ladies and Gentlemen.

it's the 15th and it's time for the next chapter. There isn't really much happening today; a simple return back home..... or is it?

Thanks for reviewing go to **Carlalalita**, **XV-Dragon**(i get to your PM soon, just been a lot on my hands lately) and **Baran3.**

now, enjoy

PS: just to remind people as a few seem to question my "rule interpretation", i am going basically by 3.5 Edition rules. i haven't touched 4th Edition and in the near future i don't plant to.

-----Destiny commands All----

The next morning came slowly and for some of them too fast. The girl's tent was dead silent, each of them still fast asleep and dreaming. The first of them to rise was Cornelia, the blond sitting up on her bedroll and stretching her arms above hear head. Her mouth opened wide as she yawned, eyes squinted shut. She rubbed the crust from her eyes, slowly looking around the tent. At the left of the door sat Hay against the tent wall, her upper body and head dipped forward and legs crossed. In her lap lay Irma's head, the eastern girl having insisted that the young Human would NOT leave her side.

Irma lay in her own bedroll, body relaxed and her skin looking a lot healthier than the day before and a small smile playing on her face that was cupped in Hay's hands. On the other side of the entrance, opposite of herself lay Taranee. She had her hands folded over her stomach, her chest rising with even and deep breaths. Cornelia was often fascinated how the elf slept, more like she dropped into a state of unconsciousness as she never moved in her sleep.

Between herself and Taranee were Elyon and Will and what Cornelia saw came as somewhat of a surprise to her: both elven born girls were snuggled into each other, the shorter Drow's head resting comfortably on Elyon right breast. The Heiress' arms were wrapped tightly around her servant. Both had small smiles playing on their lips and from the way they moved under the blankets Cornelia guessed that their legs must be tangled up pretty well.

The blond simply sat there, eyes wide while her arms dropped into her lap. 'What the HELL?!' The young Druid wasn't able to really grasp the situation, the contact too intimate to be a coincidence. Deciding that she did NOT want to pry into this Cornelia swiftly gathered her belongings and crawled out of the tent, hoping that she woke no one.

Outside she blinked into the bright morning sun, raising a hand to shield her eyes. Suddenly she noticed an eagle circling over the camp, its eyes peering down onto something in the distance. Reaching out through Nature Cornelia formed a small bond to the eagle's mind, asking what it was looking for. The bird answered with a loud, verbal screech and dove down to the ground and into the lush forest not too far from the campsite. Looking around Cornelia noticed that she was the only one up and even Raven was nowhere to be seen. Shrugging the young Druid headed out; target: the location of the eagle.

It took the tall blond only a few minutes to reach the place and found something that made her breath catch in her throat. Before her was a large clearing, Nature MELTED to goo. The place looked like acid had been poured over the area all night. A twig snapping behind her alerted her and she spun around, scythe popping from her seal and she went instantly into a horizontal swipe. The person behind her simply caught the staff of the scythe just below the blade. "What a greeting."

Cornelia took in the person and recognized Raven. Sheepishly she let her scythe vanish once more, "Sorry." Raven didn't as much as spare her a glance, looking over the scorched clearing, "You should go back; this place is no longer safe. We head out in less than one hour." Cornelia gave him a confused look, "What you me-" **"ROOOOOAAAAARRRR!!!!" **"SHIT," shouted Raven as a large shadow seemed to rise from the woods in the far distance. "CORNELIA HALE! Get your ass back to camp and get them to leave AT THE INSTANT! I don't give a flying fuck about gear! Get them moving! Lead them through Ceredale if you must JUST GET THEM OUT OF HERE!"

Cornelia wasted no thought as she darted off back to camp, Raven besides her as they ran through the woods. "What was this," shouted Cornelia as she heard yet another roar in the distance. Raven's face was a scowl as he sent her a glance from the corner of his eye and the word he spoke made her blood freeze, "Dragon. BLACK dragon." A second later and Cornelia ran with all she had, nearly doubling her speed as fear was sending energy and adrenaline through her body.

Raven was suddenly taking a sharp right turn and Cornelia was about to stop when his command slammed into her. "Go! Get them moving and out of here!" His voice was ice cold and Cornelia gave only a short nod as she burst back into full speed, her legs already protesting from the abnormal strain.

She broke through the woods and into camp instantly spotting a few of the instructors walking around. "GET MOVING! FORGET EVERYTHING! WE GOT A DRAGON AFTER US!!!" Heads had poked out from tents at her first cry and when they heard the word 'dragon' faces paled. The students were quickly to fall over each other, panic gripping their minds and even the instructors started to loose their common sense. Some were about to start to pack up their things when Raven burst into the camp with a jump from a higher tree branch, landing in a crouch as he skidded a few feet over the ground.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU STILL DOING HERE!?!?! FORGET EVERYTHING!!! GET MOVING AND FOLLOW HALE!! SHE KNOWS THE WOODS BEST AND WILL LEAD YOU ON THE SHORTEST WAY BACK TO METAMOORA!!!" Seeing their leader in such a state of seriousness was all they needed to get their heads out of the gutter.

The students quickly got finished dressing before staggering out of their tents. Suddenly a large shadow moved through the camp and everyone looked up. Above them circled the massive form of a dragon, its huge wings blocking out the sun easily as it flew high in the sky. They could make out pitch black scales and some even swore they saw sulfur yellow eyes stare down on them.

That was all that was needed to get the large group moving. Cornelia took point with two of the instructors, leading the group at the fastest speed possible into the thick wounds. Irma and Hay were found in the middle of the group, them and the other instructors making sure that none of the kids took off on their own. Taranee, Elyon and Will brought up the rear, making sure that no one fell behind them in the hasty retreat.

Will was throwing a last look back to see if she could spot the dragon's shadow but her eyes fell on Raven who was still standing in the middle of the camp, unmoving like a rock. "RAVEN!!!" Her cry caused the man to turn to her and she was sure she saw a small smile play on his lips. "Get moving Will!" His shout carried something that made Will want to cry and tears gathered in her eyes but she did as he told her. She turned back, a few tear drops falling from her eyes as she prayed in her mind for Raven to come back......

The group ran through the woods, covering relatively good ground when they suddenly stopped. A mighty roar echoed through the trees, strong gusts making leaves ripple and rustle. A large cloud of smoke was rising in the distance.... where the camp had been. Everyone stared with open eyes as a large shadow rose from the area, wings spread wide and flapping slowly as the massive beast rose into the air.

You didn't need to be a genius to put two and two together: Raven..... had fallen...... Will fell to her knees, her eyes loosing focus as reality slowly sank into her. "No....... no...... no... NO..... NOOOO!!!!" She slammed her fists into the ground, tears flowing freely while her cry of pain rose high into the air. Most people stared at her unable to grasp the whole concept of what they saw. Elyon moved up and placed a comforting arm around the Drow's shoulders, having tears pool in her eyes as well.

Everyone seemed to be frozen until a new roar reached them and they saw how the huge dragon went into low swoop, flying just barely above the tree tops. "GET MOVING!!! GET MOVING!!!" Cornelia'sdesperate cry caused most people to snap out of it and they all started running again, Elyon having to partly drag Will along as the young Drow was still crying.

The dragon was swiftly gaining on them, the flap of its wings audible in the air. People looked over their shoulders, all crying out in fear as they saw the massive black beast just a littlebehind and about to rain acid death down on them. The beast had reached just a few feet behind them and it reared its head back and opened its maw, a cloud of acid slowly bursting from it. Time seemed to freeze for those in the last rows, eyes glued tothe deadly rain of acid that was about to be unleashed onthem.

"NOT YET!!!!" A black streak suddenly burst from somewhere in the woods and slammed into the right side of the dragon's head with great force, knocking the great beast off course and causing the breath attack to miss. A large patch of woods and grass was reduced to a large puddle of goo as the acid melted everything in mere seconds. The massive dragon was unable to stay airborne from the suddenly slam, slowly turning to its left and crashing down into the woods.

The whole group had come to a stop, staring wide eyed at what they saw. The black streak dropped down from the sky and into the higher branches of a tree. Landing in a low crouch, using his hands to keep himself steady the person was now able to be identified. **"RAVEN!!!!" ** The cry of many people echoed through the woods as they saw the man crouch in the tree branch, panting hard as they saw that his clothing had many holes, his coat totally melted away by whatever happened in the camp.

His forearms, chest, back and face were covered in acid burns of several degrees, the skin on his left hand barely holding onto the bone. Spit was flowing down his chin and his right hand reached up to brush the liquid onto his throat, an area that held several nasty burns.

To the right of the group where the dragon had crashed an enormous cloud of smoke was slowly clearing and the black dragon staggered back to its feet, clearly shaking from the highly unexpected maneuver. It's right wing was bent in abnormal ways, blood flowing freely from the obviously crippled limb and the dragon gave a giant roar, baring utterly sharp teeth at Raven. Suddenly a cloud of acid burst forward and raced for Raven.

The human acted swiftly, bouncing from the tree branch with the speed and nimbleness of a monkey breed, using branches and tree barks to bounce and swing out of the clouds reach. He dropped to a lower branch, his hands catching it above his head before he did a swing and came into a low crouch position. His whole body gave off a bright pink glow that soon turned softer and his lips were drawn up into a snarl.

Everyone felt a slight effect of what Raven did and several instructors whispered a name, "Aura of Unluck."

The mighty beast suddenly charged Raven's position, moving with great speed through the woods, crashing through trees like they were not even there, before lunging at Raven, maw open wide.

Raven jump from the branch and moved TOWARDS the dragon with great speed, a purple glow seeping from his hands. He barely flew past the dragon's maw and as soon as he was roughly on the same level as the beast's eye he trust his hands forward, his fingers forming a kind of cone formation. A large burst of Eldritch Might shot forth from his hands, taking to constant form of a cone like cloud that was aimed dead set at the dragon's head and throat as Raven rocketed past the beast.

Once again the dragon roared in pain, trying to throw it's body out of the way of the Blast and avoid more damage.

Raven managed to twist his body in the air after his attack ended, able to plant his feet on the dragon's left shoulder before pushing off once more, this time head down. In less then a second hereached the dragon's leg and once more Eldritch Might covered both of his hands and he again threw them out together, a new cone of Arcane hitting the dragon's leg not even two feet away.

The attack must have caused a great deal of damage as the dragon roared louder than any time before, its left front leg giving in and its body crashed to the ground. It tried to get back up only to have Raven suddenly appear before its maw. Murder sparked in the great beast's eyes and it moved to open its maw wide and spat a huge cloud of acid when Raven moved. His hands reached up and plugged deep into the beast's nostrils before pulling down harshly.

The beast cried at the pain as its maw was forced shut again, two streams of acid vapor streaming out from its flews and melting a good load wild life on its path.

Raven suddenly pulled himself upward and flipped in mid-air, landing in a crouch on the dragon's head, his hands very swift to find a few loose scales and ramming his hands under them into the sensitive flesh and causing the dragon to roar once more in utter pain.

Raven was panting hard, spit dripping from his mouth as he grabbed onto the flesh painfully. "Speak black one! What are you doing here?! Your kin is not native to these parts of the land!" A dark and low growl echoed from the dragon before a raspy voice answered. "Puny human mortal...... you may have bested me...... but I am..... but one of many....." "What is your purpose here?"

The dragon managed to leer up at Raven with one eye, fixing him with a dark glare, "Do you truly need to ask re- GHAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!" The dragon's cry of pain echoed throughout the woods as Raven's whole body sparked with purple lightning. The energy traveled down his arms and straight into the dragon's brain, causing great damage. "DIIIIEEEE!!!!!" Raven's cry was followed by an especially strong burst of purple lighting that soon covered him and the whole dragon's body before it slowly ebbed away.

Panting heavily Raven slowly rose from his position, extracting his blood covered hands from the dragon's skull. His hair was smeared with blood, falling into his face in sticky strands. Slowly he raised his head, looking at the assembled class that was staring at him with wide eyes.

Raven had just single handedly taken down a dragon, at least an adult one by its size. Besting such a beast normally needed a well prepared group of powerful fighters but this man.... he had done it alone in an obviously suboptimal state. It showed just how much raw power this man wielded.

"Is everyone okay," asked Raven in a still strained voice, snapping everyone out of their stupor. Instantly three people rushed from the crowd: Elyon, Cornelia and Will. Elyon and Cornelia were already calling forth their healing magic, their hands taking soft glows as Will fumbled for her potions. As the three reached him Will snatched his badly wounded left hand, pouring the healing ointment over the wound that started to steam slightly.

Raven hissed loudly while Elyon and Cornelia placed their hands close to his throat, trying to mend most of the damage done to it. Moments past in which the two girls exhausted their magic and Will used up every healing potion they had at hand. Slowly one of the instructors, a male Cleric, moved towards them, mumbling low prayers as his whole body started to take a soft, white glow before moving to use his most advanced healing spells on the man that just saved all their lives.

For minutes the four worked the man, fixing him up as good as they could. Soon Raven stood to his whole height, signaling that he was as well as he could get with the rushed patch work. He fixed everyone with a hard glare as he spoke, "Don't think that what I have done here was an easy feat. I only was able to kill him because I have slain more of their kind than I care to count, I know all of their weak points by heart. Without this, even if I had not been wounded previously, I would have lost this battle. Dragons are amongst the most lethal creatures in Toril; NEVER underestimate them!"

He got nods from all around, the students still too shocked to do anything but agree. Raven turned his attention to the other instructors, "We will rest for some time here. A group should head back to camp, I managed to draw him away before he rained acid on me. Most of the camp should still be in tact. Three of each tent with head back and gather the items from their respective group. After that they will come back."

"Why," came the question from several people and Raven gave them one of his devious smirks. "What do you think? I plan to disembowel my prey. I have slain the dragon hence the spoils are mine alone. Scales, teeth, claws, blood, heart and everything else is my loot." Many faces paled at his words and more than two thirds rushed past them towards camp to gather the items left behind. Raven chuckled darkly as he pulled out his sword that somehow had gone unnoticed and undamaged through this all. "Kukukukukuku. There is nothing like dissecting well fried dragon in the morning."

-----Destiny commands All----

Six hours later Raven was leaning back from the dead dragon, its body now dissected to perfection. The man grinned as he looked at his loot very happy with what he managed to get. 'Enough scales to forge a good four dozen armors; teeth and claws to enhance a good 50 weapons of any kind; blood enough to last an active Wizard or Sorcerer for months; meat to supply a whole platoon; heart, tongue and eyes big enough......' his last thought was broken as someone walked up behind him.

Reaching out with his senses he felt Will behind him and I didn't need to be a genius to know what she wanted. A small smile played over his lips as the young Drow stepped next to him and he spoke in a soft and low voice. "Is something bothering your Will?" "...... ...... I..... we thought we lost you...... How....... just how did you survive..... ..... ... ?"

Raven sighed, casting looks around them and making sure no one paid attention to them or was listening in, "Will.... like with you there is a lot more to me than what meets the eye. I am older than I look. I have traveled the realms for many years and learned many little tricks of survival. .... Please don't think less of me but..... you are not ready yet to know all there is to know about me.... .... .... In time it might come but not now......"

He saw how Will lowered her head and he heard her do a sniffle or two. Carefully he placed his left hand on her shoulder, giving it a short squeeze. She barely lifted her head and looked at him, and her eyes.... the sign of betrayal in them causing the man to sigh. He threw around a few glances, noticing the only one looking their way was Elyon. He gave the noble Elf a few hand gestures and got a short nod in response. Placing his arm fully around Will's shoulders her pulled her aside into the woods and out of hearing range.

Will was feeling slightly uneasy, the rather close proximity to Raven over a prolonged time as well as the... slight tension between them was setting the young Drow on edge. Raven stopped after they rounded a large tree, turning to Will and kneeling down on one knee, his hands resting on her shoulders. "Will...... what I am about to tell you MUST stay between us..... NO ONE must know about this. Can you promise me not to tell any living soul?"

Will stared into his red eyes, feeling her whole body tingle and her throat went try. She swallowed hard, her hands starting to tremble and shake so she quickly clutched them together behind her back. She opened her mouth, barely able to speak the words with how dry her throat was, "I...... I...... I promise......." She felt how Raven pulled her closer as well as leaning in slightly, speaking with a low voice into her ear.

"This form.... this appearance is not what or who I truly am. My name IS Raven, no deception there but.... if I were to unveil myself right now things would go downhill way too fast for me to keep control of. Weira and Zaden asked me to train you, teach you all I can but if I were to teach you with my true identity..... enemies that are a danger to even me would come and seek you out, trying to either use you against me or.... try to make you turn, making you betray me."

"At one time I may unveil who I truly am but until then..... please, just trust me. I don't want to see your life end prematurely because of who and what I am. Neither do I want to endanger your friends.... There is too much at stake Will..... more than you can understand right now..... In time you will understand but right now.... you're not ready for the whole truth, neither physically, nor emotionally nor mentally. I have seen how minds have been torn asunder by the sheer knowledge alone..... I DON'T want to see it happy to any of you six."

In the end Raven had his head lowered, his hair falling over his face and casting shadows that hid his face. Will could feel the tenseness of the situation, she could feel that it all weighted heavy on Raven's shoulders. Slowly her right hand came up, shakily moving before the slender appendage rested softly against his left cheeks. Her thumb brushed of the surprising soft skin of his cheekbone and his head raised just enough so the two could look each other into the eyes.

"Raven..... I...... I..... I don't know what to say.... I thank you.... for all you have done.... and.... I.... I... will wait..... until you feel it is the right time......."

She felt the deep breath that left Raven's lungs, the sigh of relief that washed over his features and she saw the small smile that played around his lips now. "Thank you Will....." Before Will could react Raven had moved, one hand holding onto the back of her head softly as he pulled her closer. Will was confused before she felt slightly rough lips pressed against her forehead. Tears started to pool in her eyes, her vision grew misty and her hand fell from his cheek.

His kiss seemed to last for a life time and Will burned the moment into her memory. Her right hand dropped to his chest as the left one came up shakily. Her fingers fisted into the material of his armor and suddenly she lunged forward, pressing her face into his chest as she sobbed freely. His arms moved around here, holding her in a protective embrace while he let her cry into his shoulder.

His left hand softly stroke her hair as he simply held her and Will reveled in the warmth the man radiated. Only later, much later would she understand the full meaning of this.

For minutes the two stood together like this before Will had shed enough tears and she pulled away, the faintest of happy smiles on her lips. Raven used the back of his right hand to wipe away her tears and gave her a soft smile. "Let's head back before your friends think I took advantage of you."

Will's face flushed strong enough to be visible under her dark skin and her mouth opened, stammering around with words. Raven just gave her a soft laugh and another quick kiss to her forehead before he stood up. "Let's go, we should go back sometime today or the folks will have an heart attack." He placed his left hand on Will's back between her shoulder blades and softly led her back to the others.

Will was smiling softly all the while, her mind buzzing with the warm happiness that she couldn't quite place...... yet.

-----Destiny commands All----

Cut. Copy. Archieve.

well, it seems like there is a lot about Raven that simply screams "weird" and "creep". One must wonder just WHAT he plans with Will....

So, Raven is powerful enough to kill a dragon..... well, that isn't exactly a feat considering that there are TRUE gods/goddesses walking on Fearun often enough. but then again, to those students and sheltered teachers this seems mighty impressive.

i have said it before but i say it again: if you got questions contact me and i will answer as good as i can (unless it woudl spoil the plot).

Now i bid you Goodbye and Farewell.

- Nelo Akuma


	12. Home, New People and New Questions

Good Day Ladies and Gentlemen.

it's the 1st July and thus time for an update.

This time we finally get back to Metamoora and slowly some plot develops. I know from a couple of people who want more details on Raven, his powers and his past mostly, but i have to say that Raven is a mystery even to me. He is an ever shifting persona who just can't be nailed down. Lu knows i have tried time and time again but he always manages to give me the slip.

general thanks for reviewing go to: **XV-Dragon**, **Baran3**, **SkarS** and **Kitsune6.**

now, enjoy this chapter!

-----Destiny commands All----

It was late afternoon of the day as the group of students had returned to Metamoora, most of them in high spirits. The six girls that had done a lot of bonding during the walk back, mostly Will and Irma, were lowly chatting about something that was coming within a couple of weeks: the Arcane Thunders.

It was a tournament solely for anyone able to use arcane magic in any form. The challenges were many and of various kinds. Hay, Taranee and Elyon were planning to enter this year as they finally thought they stood a chance against the older combatants. The fact that during the Thunders three years ago a good number of combatants had died because one of them damaged the life saving runes and the Meteor Storm that had soon after hit the final stage had whipped out everyone had been the cause for the girls' parents to forbid them to even consider entering.

Will was listening in with great interest. This sounded like it could be a lot of fun. She made a mental note to ask Weira and Raven about it. If both deemed her ready she would enter as a surprise.

Irma saw how a plan formed in the young Drow's mind and she got a strong suspicion. 'She's not actually thinking...... she IS!' The brunette was glaring at the red head from the corner of her eyes but soon the glare grew softer. Nothing she could really do about it; Will had decided for herself and she as her new friend had to support her in any way she could. 'Maybe sparing with her,' thought Irma as a devious smirk played over her lips.

She was pulled from her thoughts as a heavy hand landed on her shoulder and stopped her without the others noticing. She looked over her shoulder into the equally devious smirking face of Raven. "You figured her out huh," asked the man with an amused sound in his voice and Irma couldn't help but giggle. "Yes, I think so. And I was going to offer my help." Raven gave a low laugh as his eyes danced with glee, "With your classes you would be a nice match for her: Ranger and Justicar. Let me guess: specialized in urban tracking?"

Irma couldn't help but stare at him for a few moments before she regained enough mental capacity to speak, "How you know that?" He gave a low chuckle before pushing her slightly forward and the two started to follow the troop again. "Oh, you have yet much to learn. I have been around long enough to read people. You move very surely in both urban and wild life but more so in urban settings. You feel at home in crowded streets and buildings. Also your eyes are always searching for anything 'bad' going on." He gave a short laugh and looked up at the sky, "I have traveled with both urban Rangers and Justicars more than once and I quickly recognize their habits."

His left hand came up and ruffled through her hair, much to annoyance of Irma, and he gave her a sly look, "Tomorrow 4 pm at the Ilvaren estate; I'm going to have Will spar with a few people and if you want to throw her into a twist come as well." Irma's eyes grew wide before she broke into a wide smile, "You bet!" Raven gave a short laugh as they passed the gates to the Sheffield Institute when a loud, girly squeal rang in their ears and Irma gave a loud groan, "Oh Gods, Corny is at it again."

Raven gave her a confused look, never having pegged Cornelia as the girly type but when he looked around he could only facepalm himself.

Right in front of him was the normally collected Druid hanging onto a rather tall, probably close to 5'8'', brow haired boy. He was dressed in weathered, full body Leather Armor of brownish-green color, a green traveling cloak, and heavy boots. The exotic looking handle of a sword was visible from under his cloak as he held onto the blond druid surprisingly tender. The four strange stripes on his cheeks caught Raven's attention before his mind connected the tidbit to some old information.

The whole class watched how Cornelia gave into girly mode and hugged and squeezed the dear life out of the boy who was slowly adopting a blue hue to his skin. Deciding that the boy had suffered long enough Raven cleared his throat loudly, "EHEM! Hale; I think he would like to breath now." Cornelia, snapped out of her dazed mind looked at the boy and saw indeed that he was gasping for air. "OH MOTHER!! I am sorry Caleb! Are you alright?!?!"

The boy identified as Caleb was taking deep breaths, his left hand softly testing his ribs, "Yeah...... just gimme a few to breath....." Cornelia gave a sheepish grin before she leaned up and gave Caleb a quick peck on his left cheek, "There, better?" a devious smile broke onto Caleb's face as he said in a husky voice, "Not yet." With swift movements he suddenly grabbed onto Cornelia, spun her around before kissing her soundly on the lips. Cornelia let out a soft moan as his tongue slipped past her lips and she slowly moved her arms around his neck while both closed their eyes.

When they parted after what seemed like ages to them they heard clapping on their left and saw how Raven raised his hands, purple arcane seeping from his hands and forming numbers. "I give a 8.2 for boldness but only a 6.3 for execution." Everyone in the yard burst into laughter as Caleb and Cornelia stared at the man who soon joined the laughter. The two teens started to blush madly before Cornelia leaped out of Caleb's arms and with a battle cry charged her instructor, her scythe appearing in her hands.

Laughter died away as Cornelia set out for blood and went after the still laughing Raven, slicing away at him and trying to cut him to slices. The raven haired man simply weaved around the weapon, moving with speed and grace uncanny for human standards. The man was always a step ahead of her, laughing all the time while his eyes glowed with laughter. "Come on Hale, that all you got?" "YOU! JUST WAIT TILL I GET MY HANDS ON YOU, YOU CHAUVINIST MAN!"

Cornelia did a vertical swipe that Raven dodged by somersaulting backwards and into the higher branches of a tree where he crouched low, smirking down at the still enraged Druid. "Too slow." Cornelia was seething mad, glaring up at the man and was about to send spells at him when a new presence made itself known in the yard. "RAVEN! Get you sorry ass into my office THIS MOMENT!!!"

People turned and stared at Principle Knickerbocker, the round woman standing in the gates into the building, wisps of arcane circling her while she was glaring death into the man. "Alright, alright. Damned old women always spoiling my fun." **"RAVEN!!!" **the man dropped swiftly from his branch before a large Fireball burned the whole tree to ash in a matter of moments. People looked at the principle, still able to see the flames flickering in her left hand as she prepared to hurl yet another ball of flaming pain at the man. "My office; **NOW!" **

The whole school watched as their principle was about to unleash her magic on the instructor who seemed to think twice now about pissing that woman off even more and disappeared in a flicker of arcane, soon followed by the seething wizard.

Students were still in shock, surprised at the way their normally calm principle had reacted to the admittedly infuriating male. Soon enough the crowd broke up and each one headed over their own business. Elyon, Will, Irma, Hay, Taranee, Cornelia and Caleb had left the Institute and headed for the Ilvaren estate, using the time to introduce Will to the boy in their group. Will learned that Caleb was an orphan, living in the same Druid's grove as Cornelia and her family. The boy was a Druid/Bard, excelling more at his divine potential than his arcane spellcasting.

She learned that he never attended any school or academy to learn how to use his powers, he was the Learning-by-Doing type that preferred to travel all over the lands. He had just returned from a good two months long trip into the mountains to the south. Will had to admit in her mind that she saw why Cornelia was all over the boy, he had this strange charm about himself that made girls her age swoon over and lust after him. But to Will he was more the.... 'brotherly' type.

The group by now had reached the Ilvaren estate and made their way into the dining room, Elyon making a short detour to the kitchen to ask for some drinks and snacks. They sat together, bringing Caleb up to date with the latest happenings in the city as well as where they had come from. Will was.... surprised to say the least how Caleb had reacted to her and her birth. He seemed unimpressed that she was a Drow. When she had asked him why he had giving a nervous chuckle, "You see...... had I not run into that one person during my trip..... I would be very much dead right now...... She saved my life out there and she was another Drow so... Well, I guess I have lost my biased opinion on your race due to it."

Will seemed frozen into place as she heard Caleb talk about another Drow in such rather close proximity and she could help but ask, "Did she give you her name?!" Will was desperately awaiting and dreading the answer, her palms getting sweaty under her gloves. Caleb gave her a surprised look before he spoke. "Yeah she did. I can't remember it as a whole but she called herself Viconia and she was a Cleric."

Will stared at him with wide eyes, "Say WHAT?!" "What's the big deal," asked Caleb confused when a new voice rang in the room. "The big deal is that THIS female is a legend on par with many others like Elminster, Sarevok and Edwin." Heads turned to Weira, the tall Elf walking over to their group sitting around the table and took a free seat, picking one of the cinnamon rolls and bitting into it happily. "Who is she exactly," asked Caleb, now very interested in this female he had met.

Weira swallowed and then rested her elbows on the table, "Have you heard the stories about the Baalspawns?" Silence went over the room, everyone having heard THAT tale, even Will knew enough about it to know that the tale of the Baalspawns could have very well changed the course of the Fêarun entirely. Suddenly it clicked all together in Will's mind, "WAIT! You don't want to say that THIS Viconia and the one that Caleb met are one and the same?!"

Weira smiled wide, as she nodded. "I would say the chances are pretty big for that. She has been reported to once again be in this region." She turned to a shell shocked Caleb, "Congrats; you have been saved by a personal friend of a God, the God of Murder even." Caleb was gapping openly while things slowly settled into his mind. "Oh my......" he couldn't speak more and was simply too shocked to even think.

The older Elf giggled slightly and then turned to Will, "If you don't mind I have to abduct this little one here; it's time for some more studies." No one was able to resist as Weira dragged Will out of the room and into the library. Only little later did the girls start to grill Caleb for details.

-----Destiny commands All----

Will was letting out a tired sigh, letting a heavy tome drop into her lap as she sat on the couch in the study. Weira looked up from her own book, taking notice that the girl seemed somewhat frustrated with her work. "Is something the matter Will?" "Well..... yes..... no.... maybe......" Weira noted how Will seemed to look at everything but her, giving her enough clues to know that something was weighing on the Drow.

She stood up from her chair and walked over the Will, sitting down next to the girl. "Out with it." Weira had learned long ago that being nice and cuddly with Will did not serve the purpose of getting her to talk. Will sighed, knowing that Weira would do all in her might to get her to talk. "It's about this Arcane Thunder event......" Weira didn't need to hear more and a small frown set on her face, "You wish to enter...." Will could only nod slightly.

"I know that I am probably not really that good but.... I did rather well in the Ruins I think and I thought.... maybe testing myself against others might show me how good I actually am." Weira was about to speak when Will continued, "But... I only will enter if you, Zaden and.... Raven deem me ready." Weira stared down at the young girl, seeing her fiddle around with her hands in her lap. The older Elf closed her eyes and gave serious thought to Will's request and question.

After minutes that felt like eons to Will Weira spoke. "Fine, I give my okay for you to enter but unless Zaden and Raven think you are ready as well I will NOT support this further." Will's eyes lit up with happiness and she threw herself at her mistress' mother, hugging the woman for the briefest moments before she raced out of the study in search for Zaden. Weira was left slightly dazed, not having expected to young Drow to be so... openly physical with her thanks. Weira smiled to herself, crossing her arms over her chest and nodding slightly, 'She is growing fast.'

-----Destiny commands All----

Zaden had been in the training area, going over his own training and trying to keep his skills as honed as possible. He had just finished and was about to walk into the house and take a long bath to get the sweat off his body when a purple-black missile crashed into him and knocked him over. As he world stopped spinning he found himself lying on his back, a blushing and panting Will sitting on his abdomen. "Sorry........"

He observed how Will swiftly got off him, the faintest of blushes visible under her dark skin. "It's okay," mumbled Zaden as he picked himself off the ground and dusted off his clothes, "Now, where is the fire?" "The...... Arcane Thunder.....," mumbled Will nervously and it clicked in Zaden's mind. "I see..... what does my wife say?" "She is okay with it..... as long as you and Raven think I am ready....."

Zaden raised his left hand to his chin and closed his eyes. After several minutes he opened his eyes and looked down on a eagerly waiting Will. "Raven has the last say in it." And with that he walked into the house and left Will standing there. Slowly she realized that this meant that as long as Raven gave his okay.... she could enter! Will smiled widely and slowly made her way back into the house and into the dining room, thinking that the others would still be there.

When she walked inside she didn't find any of them. But she spotted a hooded person standing in a corner, looking over a couple of portraits that hung on the wall. "Who are you," asked Will loudly, not knowing this person and by now she knew most of the staff by heart. The hooded person seemed to be startled and spun around, the hooded black cloak staying firmly closed and casting the face of the person in shadows.

Will slowly tensed and instinctively reached for her insides to draw forth her power. Her hands were coated in a purple glow as she slowly walked closer to the person. "I repeat: who are you?" The person gave no answer, only backing up against the wall slowly. Will narrowed her eyes at the person, the slowly setting sun casting orange light into the room and bathing it into a slight twilight. Will's eyes had no problem to adjust to the change of light..... but neither did the person before her.

Suddenly the person charged her and Will reacted by throwing her left hand out, launching an Eldritch Blast at it. The person tried to duck under the blast but it's hood was knocked backwards. Will stared at the sea of white hair that was freed and spilled everywhere. Instantly the person vanished from sight before Will felt something pin her arms to her side and a body pressed against her back and keeping her immobile.

She felt hot breath tickle her left ear before a husky and male voice spoke lowly. "Not a word young one; as long as you don't I mean you no harm....." A shiver moved down Will's spine as the voice sounded familiar yet foreign and she spoke a low whisper, "What do you want?" "I want you to deliver a message for me." "To whom." "Raven."

Will's back went stiff and all her muscles tensed up. The person behind her chuckled lowly, the tone light, "Ehehehehehe. Don't you worry; I have no ill intentions for him. Only tell him this 'The Child has to Fight for It to reach It's full Potential.'" Will had no idea what that meant, the whole thing sounding like a code or a riddle to her. The man behind her laughed slightly, "I know that he will come here tonight. Deliver this message and I will give you a little.... hint on your sword."

Will's eyes opened with shock and she had to suppress a gasp. "What.... do you know about it?" She felt the man behind her nuzzle his nose into her hair, taking a deep breath. "Hmm..... nice scent.... But I digress. Your sword.... you learned how to detect magic.... have you ever tried to use that ability on your sword?" She felt how the man slipped something into one of her coat's pockets. "If you need reference use this."

The man somehow managed to pull her glove off Will's left hand and placed a slender, gloved finger on her wrist. The lines that had been draw into her skin nearly two months prior sprung to life, their normally black color going bright purple. Will stared down on them as they seemed to twist and turn, taking new forms. Will saw how a small rune seemed to form before the lines returned to black. The man pulled his hand away and spoke lowly into her ear again. "Do not speak of this to your Guardians; while I mean you or them no harm.... they would never understand my ways of doing things... Only speak to Raven about this."

Will only nodded before she felt all the touch against her vanish. She spun around and prepared to send a Blast at the man only to find the room behind her empty. 'What was that about,' thought Will as she reached into her pocket and pulled out the item the man had placed there. It was a small book, barely 4'' wide and 6'' high. It was thin and bound in she supposed black leather. She turned it in her hands and read the title aloud, "Magic Enchantments and their Feelings....... written by S. Raven....."

Will recognized the name and slowly placed the book back in her pocket. Before she could think about this strange event she heard Elyon's voice call for her from the entrance hall. Quickly checking herself over Will rushed out of the room and nearly crashed into Elyon who was about to walk in. "There you are Will. The girls asked us if we wanted to visit Cornelia's home tomorrow and spent the night in the grove."

Will was utterly surprised, "You think.... the other Druids wouldn't mind?" While the question was left rather open Elyon knew what Will meant and gave her a small smile, "Don't worry. Cornelia's parents know about you and they don't really mind. They trust their daughter to have detected anything." Will gave a soft smile and nodded her head, "Okay." Elyon beamed at her, "Great! I already talked it over with Mom so no worries there." Elyon snatched up the shorter girl's hand and dragged her into the entrance hall and was about to head up the stairs when the large doors opened and Raven walked inside with Zaden, the two men chatting away about different sword styles.

Will quickly freed her wrist from Elyon and gave a her a short sign to wait. She made her way towards Raven swiftly, "Raven, could I talk to your for a moment?" The two men looked at Will and Raven gave her a raised eyebrow, "Uhm.... sure, fire away." Will looked at Zaden sheepishly and muttered, "In private....." Both men looked at each other, confusion clearly visible in their faces and Will was sure she saw several question marks float above their heads.

Raven then looked back and gave a short nod and walked outside. Will fell into step next to him shouting a "Just a moment" over her shoulder at Elyon as the two Ilvaren simply stared after the unlikely duo. Zaden gave his daughter a questioning look only to have Elyon raise her hands, "Don't look at me, I've got no idea what this is a about."

Outside Raven had led Will a bit away from the house, leaning his back against a tree and crossing his arms over his chest, "Now, what you want to talk about?" Will drew a deep breath and closed her eyes, "I... was asked to deliver a message to you: 'The Child has to Fight for It to reach It's full Potential.'" After a few moments of silence Will opened her eyes and saw Raven gap and stare at her. Then an unhappy frown settled onto his face and he muttered under his breath, "Damned bastard butting his nose into my business......"

He sighed and gave Will a look, "Thanks. Though that bastard could have spoken to me directly...." "There.... is something else....." Raven looked at her sharply, "More messages?" Will shook her head, "No. I.... I want to take part in the Arcane Thunder..... Weira and Zaden said as long as you think I am ready I am allowed to enter." Raven looked at her with surprise, "Uhm...... you really sure about that?" Will nodded quickly, "Yes. I am not sure I stand a chance but.... I must test myself against superior fighters to find out just how far I have come."

Raven fixed her with a piercing look but Will did not look away. After a few minutes Raven looked up into the sky and let out a soft sigh, "Fine. We will up your training severely and if you manage to fulfill my expectations in three weeks I will enter you myself." Will gave a slight squeak and glomped the man. Raven simply placed a hand on her back, padding her softly. "Enough of this Will. I've got the reputation of a tough bastard to keep and this mushy stuff is not really my thing."

Will let the man's neck go, laughing slightly. Raven gave her a smirk and pushed her back towards the house. "Now run along, the others are surely waiting for you." Will smiled at him and nodded before rushing back into the house. She did not see the slight frown that settled onto Raven's face, 'THIS will be loads of work.'

-----Destiny commands All----

Will had a slight skip in her step as she walked up the stairs to Elyon's room. 'He said yes!' Will entered Elyon's, and her own room with a wide smile and a small twirl. "Someone seems to be happy."

Will froze as she heard the definitely male voice and slowly turned around. She saw Caleb sitting in the chair at Elyon's desk, smiling at her in this teasing way. Will reacted the best she could: she stuck out her tongue at him, "Bleh." Giggles filled the room and Will now noticed that everyone was still there, the girls all lying over each other on the big bed. Except for Cornelia: she sat on the table behind Caleb, her arms resting on the boys chest and drawing small circles.

"So, what got you so happy," asked Hay from under the dog pile, trying to get the others off her. "Oh nothing special," said Will with a devious smile, "I just managed to convince Weira, Zaden and Raven to let me enter the Arcane Thunder event."

Silence fell over the room as everyone started to stare at Will. With a sudden and monstrous display of strength Hay threw the others off her and glomped Will, "This is great!" Will laughed as the eastern girl spun them around, "Slow down Hay!" But the girl only smiled and spun the faster on the spot. The others slowly came around as well and most expressed their joy for Will... all but Caleb.

The boy held a slight scowl as he watched Will. "You really think you are ready for this? I highly doubt it. You're way too weak for it."

If the sudden silence didn't tell him that he made a mistake the drop of temperature as well as the dark glares directed at him clued him in. Especially Will was leveling a VERY cold look at the boy, "Just so you know Raven said he would up my training and with HIM being able to take down a dragon alone and in a pretty beat up state you should think twice to underestimate me." Caleb simply snorted, "Yeah, right. Someone taking down a dragon alone; try another one."

A dark snarl emitted from Cornelia's throat as she slowly moved her arms from Caleb's chest to his shoulders, "Caleb.... if I didn't knew better I would think you were accusing Will of lying......." Caleb missed the dark snarl and simply closed his eyes. "So what?"

Cornelia slowly let go of his shoulders and walked around him, staring down into his impassive face before..... SLAP! The loud sound of flesh meeting flesh hard filled the room and everyone looked at Cornelia who still had her right hand raised. Caleb's left cheek had taken a very red glow after Cornelia had slapped him with all the strength she could muster. The boy's eyes were open wide in shock very slowly turning back to Cornelia.

Before he could say anything Cornelia had grabbed his collar and pulled him to his feet swiftly. Her eyes were cold burning orbs of anger a she dragged him through the room and threw him out, standing in the door frame and looking down on him. "Go." "Corn-" "GO!"

Caleb's eyes widened and he rolled to the side, barely able to dodge and not get impaled by Cornelia's Scythe. He looked at her and saw her snarl at him as she pulled her weapon free and prepared to take another swing at him. Not wasting any time he scrambled to his feet and ran down the hall and smack face into a broad chest. He looked up and stared into the burning eyes of one Raven. "You. Me. Outside. Now."

Caleb wasn't fast enough to prevent the man from easily lifting the teen over his shoulder and carting him off. The girls all looked out of the door before they looked at each other and then charged after the two males.

They caught up to them as Raven walked out of the house and into the training area, throwing Caleb harshly down into the ring. "I can live with you doubting what I do and did but if you call Will a liar you cross that line." Raven jumped onto the raised area as well and with a fluid motion pulled out his sword. His right leg slid backwards and he took a sideways stance towards Caleb. His right hand rose high, holding the sword at his head's level and pointed it at the still downed boy. His left hand moved to his side, purple energy seeping out of his skin.

Caleb was still on his back, staring at the man as he realized that his big mouth had gotten him into VERY deep shit this time. Suddenly Raven went into motion, rushing at Caleb before thrusting down his sword towards Caleb. The human was barely able to roll to the side and dodge the blade. He quickly got up to his feet and stared at Raven and where his sword had penetrated deep into the stone. The stone around the sword was melting as the sword itself was glowing with a mix of purple and green.

Raven looked up at Caleb, a vicious smirk on his lips, "This sword is very special boy. I can channel each and every Invocation through it." Caleb slowly drew his sword, in finely crafted scimitar holding it in his right hand before his body. He watched how Raven slowly pulled his sword from the corroded ground. "Now... I advise you to dodge if you wish to live."

With speed that Caleb was barely able to see Raven charged the boy, going into a wide and vicious vertical swing. Caleb managed just in time to jump back and thrust his scimitar straight out, trying to catch Raven's right shoulder. To the boy's shock Raven left hand came up and effortlessly caught the sword between two finger. With just a twitch of his wrist Raven flung the sword out of Caleb's hands and out of the ring.

Caleb jumped back glaring at the man that had so effortlessly disarmed him. Deciding that he had enough of it Caleb shortly closed his eyes before his body began to shift under his clothes.

On the sidelines Cornelia gasped as she recognized what he did, "He already knows how to use the Wild Shape?"

In the ring Caleb's body slowly shrank down in size as he dropped on all fours. His clothes seemed to melt into his body as red fur started to sprout from his skin, his spine extended and his face morphed. Moments later the transformation was finished, revealing the fox body of the Druid and he snarled darkly at Raven.

The man simply looked at the animal before him before a smirk split his face. "Hoping to outrun me huh? Well, two can play the same game." Raven sword started go glow purple before he flipped it in his hand to hold it like a spear and threw it towards Caleb. The fox avoided the sword with a mere jump and grinned at Raven all the time. But when the sword hit the stone ground, enormous sparks of Eldritch might flew off it and covered an area of easily 20 feet with wilding arching bows of Eldritch might.

Several bolts struck the fox, making him yip in pain loudly while he tried to get out of the area. As he finally managed to shake off the pain and confusion a large taloned claw slammed down before him, a single talon larger than the fox himself. The fox looked up in utter fright and came snout to snout with a maw filled with sharp teeth grinning down on him. The fox took several steps backwards and saw just what stood before him. Before the morphed Druid stood a large red dragon, it's head probably a good 30-40 feet off the ground if standing tall. The dragon had horns extending over its neck and frilled ears, smaller horns sprouting from its cheeks and chins, small rows of scarlet horns framing its eyes. The nose was beak-like, sprouting a small horn. A purple gray frill started at the back of its head and moved down over its back to its tail tip. Large leathery wings of gray blue color were spanning through the whole area of the backyard, throwing long shadows over the whole place. Its scales were a mix between a rust red, crimson and scarlet.

The great beast grinned and blew a hot stream of air through its nostrils at the fox, blowing the small animal over and making it yip in fright. As the fox rolled over the ground it grew in size and soon Caleb was on all fours in his human body, eyes wide and looking with utter fright and shock at the large beast before him. Caleb back away quickly as the dragon glared down at him, its orbs of seeming molten lava looking into his own brown ones. Suddenly the dragon began to chuckle in a very dark voice. "Ahahahahahaha. Not so confident now, are you Druid?"

People stared as the recognized the voice even though it was much lower than normal. Will stared up the the dragon, her eyes wide and her lips moving on her own. "Raven......?"

The dragon gave a barking laugh, the smell of sulfur and ash filling the air. "HAHAHAHAHAHA! Indeed. Now, are you still calling my student a liar Druid?" Caleb was quick to shake his head no, fearful of what the man turned dragon would do to him now. "Good." Flames erupted at the dragon's claws, consuming his whole body before flickering and shrinking in size until they were little more than a large bonfire. Out of the flames stepped a smug Raven walking past Caleb to pick up his sword, "Think twice before you pick a fight youngster."

Caleb had to bite back a reply, knowing that anything he said would only serve to piss this man off more and THAT would probably prove fatal.

The girls outside the ring were gapping at what they just saw. Neither was able to fully grasp that their instructor, and for one her secret crush, had just turned into a dragon with little effort. Raven rolled his shoulders lazily while grinning at the girls, "I think I should take my leave now. I have a very sudden craving for roasted meat; loads of roasted meat." A shiver moved down everyone's spin as the man vanished in a spark of arcane, his laughter still ringing in the yard.

Caleb was swift to gather up his weapon and rush away, leaving the Ilvaren estate without as much as a glance backwards. The girls looked at each other, the respect for their teacher just having gone up leaps and bounds. "Well...... I think now would be a good time to wrap things up," mumbled Will, still staring at where Raven had stood moments ago. Irma next to her simply nodded. "Sounds like a plan....." The six shared a look, all clear about one thing: Raven was one hell of an enigma; one that they all wanted to solve.

-----Destiny commands All----

Cut. Copy. Archieve.

well, it seems like Caleb bit off way more than he could chew. How did the wise man say: know your enemy before you strike the first blow. Caleb would be good adviced to think twice about pissing off unknown people.

and yet ANOTHER cloaked person mingling into Will's life..... seriously, aren't there enough people trying to fuck over our young Drow? *sighs* well, at least this one doesn't seem like he is going to be too much trouble right now; he is even helping her in a way. And it seems like Raven knows something about this cloaked person... what is that cagy Warlock up to now........

AND Cornelia's parents invited everyone into their grove and it seems like they don't actually mind Will being a Drow..... would be the first Druids i ever found who don't care but i guess there is a first for everything.

Now, review please as it motivates me to keep my posting schedule the way it is!

- Nelo Akuma


	13. Meeting of Families

Good Day Ladies and Gentlemen.

it's the 15th and thus time for the next chapter. it's a rather short one, people could consider it a filler of sorts, but in truth it holds a couple of things important for later chapters.

i want to thank **XV-Dragon**(hoping for an update on 'Shunned One'.....), **SkarS** and **Baran3** for reviewing and **Carlalalita **for being my Beta and a constant help to push the story along and stopping me from going too crazy with it.

now, on with the action.

-----Destiny commands All----

The next day was rather exciting for Will. After a restless night of sleep for herself and Elyon the two went over their morning training before they prepared to pick up the other girls and then head out for the Druid's grove. Expecting to find at least some stray goblin the two had dressed in their traveling clothes and were armed as usual. They had also prepared some back packs with the needed items to camp out during the night. Elyon had explained to Will that while the Druids had 'built' living quarters within their grove they were only big enough for the constant inhabitants so they**,** as guests**,** would need to sleep outside; something Will had absolutely no problem with.

As the two were making their way towards Taranee's place**,** the citizens were openly glaring at Will, whispers moving through the groups of people. Some even went so far as to try and approach Will but as soon as Elyon glared down on them they backed off. But that never deterred the glares and comments. Will was barely effected by it anymore; the walks to school had been enough to make her more or less immune to the glares.

What was frightening the girl was the reaction of Taranee's family. She knew next to nothing about them, only that she had **a** mother, father and a brother. As Will asked Elyon about them the Elf's mood grew sour.

"Well, Peter is a nice enough young man. I truly doubt you will have any problems getting along with him. Taranee's dad, Lionel, will probably be little trouble as well. From what I know he has traveled far and long and has seen worse than a Drow. ..... Who makes me worry is her mom.... She is a Paladin through and through...... Anything even remotely 'evil' is hated by her. DON'T tell her you are a Warlock just yet..... if you do it could end up with her trying to 'redeem' you....."

Will's throat went dry at this. "That.... doesn't sound very good....." "It is not.... but there is nothing we can do about it. Unless Taranee is already ready and waiting for us**,** we MUST meet and greet her." Elyon gave quick glances around, seeing if they were alone before giving Will a quick but assuring hug, "We'll deal with it as it comes, okay?" Will looked up at her mistress and friend and gave a short nod, trying to form a confident smile.

The two went back to their journey to collect their friends and soon reached the middle classed living quarters. People gave Will curious and sometimes frightful looks**,** but strangely Will could hardly detect hate in them. Some were clearly unhappy with her being there and some showed hostility by either rushing inside their houses and probably locking the doors or possibly calling in children. Will ignored it as best as she could, trying to build up the courage to face yet another Paladin. The last meeting with two of the holy warriors had only not ended in blood shed because Raven had been there to interfere.

Elyon led them towards a gray stone building with a small garden in front and Will could see a few herbs of various uses growing. Elyon walked up to the door, knocking loudly but friendly on the hard wood. A male and a female shout could be heard from inside before Will's ears picked up the sound of a heavy metal armor drawing closer to the door. Closing her eyes she drew a few deep breaths, trying to calm her raving nerves.

The door opened and revealed a tall standing woman with long blue hair, pulled into a single pony tail. The armor was highly polished silver, maybe even Mithral, and on the woman's chest paraded the symbol of her Deity: balanced scales resting on top of a mighty warhammer. Will gulped in fear as she recognized it as the sign of Tyr, The Even-Handed and The Maimed God. A long and sturdy blue cloak rested over the woman's shoulders and Will had no doubt that it also bore the insignia of her God.

Elyon, deciding the brake the harsh glare that the elven Paladin had leveled on her servant, spoke in her usual voice, "Theresa, it's good to see you again. Is Taranee ready yet?" Slowly the woman turned her hard gaze from Will to Elyon, her eyes softening just a little bit. "She will be**. **Though I must wonder if I should let her travel with this filth." Both Elven girls flinched, feeling the hate and the unspoken threat thick in the air.

Will stepped suddenly forward, bowing deep to the Paladin, "M'Lady.... I do not claim that my Blood is free of sin or free of evil. I do not ask you to trust me, I do not ask you to believe me but may I speak a request out of line?" The Paladin was obviously surprised by the submissive and pleading tone the dark one before her used but she couldn't deny that a small part of her was curious of what she would say in her defense. "Speak, let us see if you can bewitch me."

Will was hard pressed to suppress a frown from crawling onto her face. "M'Lady, I am not able of such a thing, I hold no such power over anyone. But I digress. What I wish to ask you..... is to not judge me for what my Blood may have done to you or your loved ones in the past. I know of Tyr and his wish for each of his followers to judge justly and fair. You must be one of his followers who has taken those words to heart, seeing as you raised your daughter to the same believes. May I ask this of you: let me prove myself to you through your daughter, judge me on my own actions and not those of my Blood. This is all I may ever ask of you."

To say that this small speech shocked the Paladin would be toslightly understate things. The woman had to admit, even if only in the darkest corner of her mind**,** that the Drow had made a good point. She had grabbed the bull by the horns so to speak but in the same breath had complimented her and kept her argument civil and neutral. Theresa had to admit that she doubted that either Weira or Zaden would be deceived by parlor tricks, she had known both too long for this. Also her daughter had spoken to her about her 'new friend'.

Theresa pondered a bit before she looked at Will sharply, seeing the slave lower her head slightly, "..... I can not argue with your reasons but be warned: Tyr sees everything and his judgment will reach everyone everywhere. You will not escape his judgment." "I do not wish to flee, I only wish..... for a chance....." After a few moments the woman stepped aside, silently telling both girls to come into her home.

Elyon was quick to lead Will inside, having the layout of the house in her mind clear enough to navigate blindly. She was fast to climb the stairs to the first floor, the floor that held the sleeping chambers. As they reached the top they saw Taranee's head stick out from one of the doors with a slight smile and gesture for them to come inside. They stepped into the sparse room, taking notice of the **bed** in the corner under the window. Next to it was a desk, stacks over stacks of heavy tomes filling the desk. Next to the desk was a large book shelve, filled with more heavy tomes as well as scrolls.

Taranee softly closed the door before turning to Will, "You did well. I have never seen my mother giving into such a kind of request. To question her beliefs** - **if she hated you without reason was the best thing you could have done." Will blushed slightly at the praise, "I did only what I felt was right, said what came to my mind." deciding that they had spoken enough Taranee went over to her bed and pulled a small backpack from it, shouldering the brown pack with ease. "Anyway, let's head out. Hay said she'd meet us at the gate and I am rather sure that she will drag Irma along."

Elyon let out a sigh of relief at this. It was bad enough she had to expose her servant to Theresa, there was no need to expose her to Irma's dad at the same day. "Very well. Then let us head out and hope that we don't have to track down the two."

-----Destiny commands All----

Indeed were Hay and Irma waiting for them at the north gate and the five set out to the rendezvous point with Cornelia. Even her oldest friend Elyon was unable to navigate through the dense forest and find the Druid's Grove alone, needing Cornelia's guidance. The five chatted about the one mystery that kept bugging them all: Raven.

Each girl had her suspicions about who he truly was. It ranged from a war veteran, over a spy to Hay's totally abstruse idea that HE was this Dracos character. The other four shared a good laugh at that, telling Hay that this was just as likely as a God or Goddess walking amongst them right now. But still the man was a mystery. Always when they thought they had him figured out he pulled another trick from somewhere.

After nearly two hours of walking without stumbling over anything hostile they came to a crossroad and saw Cornelia waiting for them, leaning against the signpost. When the Druid spotted them she smiled and pushed herself off. "Hey you five; are you prepared?" The last was obviously directed at Will and the young Drow nodded, "I met Taranee's mom, it can't really get any worse, can it?"

Cornelia gave a small giggle, able to tell that things had not gone too sore, before she lead the five girls into the forest.

Over the next hour they walked through the woods at a seemingly random pattern, chatting slightly about various topics. Suddenly Will stopped dead in her tracks. Everyone turned to her and Cornelia spoke the question, "What's wrong Will?" The young Drow looked around with sharp eyes, "We..... we passed this tree at least TWICE already..... I think we are trapped in some kind of illusion......"

The other five looked at her like she had gone crazy but then..... suddenly the woods around them began to shift and warp in unnatural ways. They all closed their eyes, the twisting woods causing their heads to spin. The sudden sound of people clapping caused them to look around. They stood in a small clearing, maybe a dozen people standing around them in a loose circle. Behind the people were giant trees, their trunks at least 15 feet in diameter.

Cornelia's face was coloring in a bright scarlet as she mumbled about "sneaky parents". A slender human woman with short blond hair walked up to them, a small smile gracing her lips as she looked them all over with soft blue eyes. "Welcome to Ceredale." Five of them gave soft smiles while Will softly bowed her head in respect. The woman walked up to Will, taking hold of her chin softly and lifting her head up. Their eyes met and Will was surprised to see a friendly warmth in them.

"Do not fear young Drow. Nature is too calm and friendly around you to make you a threat to us or our woods." A large weight was lifted off Will's shoulders as she looked the woman over with more interest. She wore a flowing robe that very much looked like a tree bark of dark green color. A small 'crown' of leaves was woven in her hair and with a startled thought Will realized that she was looking at the Elder Druid of this grove.

"MOM! Quit scaring my friend!" Cornelia's shout pulled Will from her thoughts and she realized with a startled look.... that this woman was Cornelia's mom.... and the Elder Druid......

"Ah, don't be so uptight little bear." "MOM!!!" Cornelia's friends, including Will, couldn't help their small laughs at the banter between mother and daughter.

Most of the other Druids had left by now, only a male Human was left close to them. His short brown hair was slowly growing thin, except for his mustache that was as thick as the woods around them. He wore a simple gray colored robe that reminded Will of the Monk back in the Institute. He wore a pair of White gloves that had whitened metal on the back of the hand. What caught Will's eyes was the large bottle of booze that dangled from his belt in plain sight.

"Now now, little squirrel, don't shout at your mother." **"DAD!!!!" **

Elyon, Irma and Taranee were hard pressed to keep their laughter in while Hay was openly laughing her ass off at the way Cornelia's parents acted. Will was watching the show with wide eyes as her head moved back and forth between the two parties as if she was watching a tennis match...... whatever this 'tennis' may be.......

After Cornelia finally managed to get her parents to lay off the teasing already she introduced the two to Will as Elizabeth and Harold. There was also Cornelia's little sister Lilian but she was out with a few of the other Druids collecting herbs. She was not back till a couple of more days from then.

Having been satisfied with their work**,** Cornelia's parents left them to their own devices while the girls set out to set up camp for the night later on.

Will was actually only listening to the girl's chatter with half an ear, her mind far away. Her thoughts kept returning to the small book in her pocket and what she had planned for the night. 'Maybe I can find out a few things about this sword,' thought Will as she softly caressed the hilt of the blade. Startled out of her thoughts by Hay's sudden shout, Will pushed those thoughts away for later.

-----Destiny commands All----

It was late at night in the Druid's Grove of Ceredale. A brightly starlit sky cast soothing lights into the clearing. Will was sitting cross legged at the edge for the clearing, on the opposite of the girls' camp.

After hours Will had decided that Elyon was fast asleep and had wiggled her way out of the heiress' embrace. It had been no easy feat, considering that Elyon had a vice like grip on her servant. But somehow Will had managed it and also managed to sneak away without waking any of the other girls.

The young Drow had her blade laying over her lap and her eyes were focused on the silvery steel. 'I hope this book holds its promise..... and that I can truly believe this man......'

Softly she wrapped her right hand around the handle, feeling soothed by the mere touch while her left hand softly rested on the sharp blade itself. Slowly Will focused solely on the sword, blocking out the world around her until all she could hear was her own heartbeat and all she felt was the sword in her hands.

'Just feel...... don't think...... let everything flow freely.....'

Very slowly emotions started to emerge from the depths of her mind. The first thing.... it felt like a fast but gentle storm moving around her.... She was sure she could feel the storm blowing through her hair.....

Then suddenly the feeling vanished as fast as it came. Without warning there was fear in Will's mind, utter fear and terror..... but there was also the feeling of being protected..... of a shield standing between her and the fear....... Will felt simply safe, like even though she knew of her fear**,** there was nothing to fear.....

And then the feelings stopped. Nothing further came no matter how long Will waited. Slowly Will's mind came back to reality, taking her surroundings again. Very slowly her eyes opened, falling straight on the sword. The blade seemed to glow in a very soft light but it faded soon enough.

With careful movements Will sheathed the sword before pulling out the small book. She softly opened the book and came quickly to understand something: it was sorted by basic feelings, like Strength, Fear, Love and after that was a breakdown with further details. Will couldn't quite place the storm feeling yet so she went for the Fear.

Will was shocked how many different aspects there were listed with Fear. From the Fear of Fire to the Fear of growing old. Will finally found what she felt: 'Fear and Protection'.

'The darkest Fear holds no value when you feel protected and secure. Protection is more valuable as the ability to strike your Foes down. A dead sword arm can't fight. An unprotected Heart will be pierced.' Reading this part Will was fascinated of the views the author had. Finally she came to the really important part: the meaning. 'Defending: You and your Weapon have been crafted to work together as one. You are easily able to hold back on the offensive to prepare to block your foes strikes. It is like an ancient instinct.'

Will was impressed but this explained a few things in the past, it explained why she had been able to defend more easily against Elyon in their spars even though the Elf had more experience.

Finally Will turned to the more complicate part. She didn't know which main category she should look at: Wind, Storm or Speed.... Deciding to start with Wind first Will dove back into the book.

After reading the whole chapter twice Will had not found anything that fit. It was frustrating Will as she flipped through the pages and search for Storm. And again Will turned up with nothing. The frustration was growing faster within her. She was close to believing that she had felt wrong or that there really has been a wind blowing around her....

With a sigh Will flipped through the pages of the Speed chapter, not fully paying attention to what she read when she suddenly stopped, her eyes growing wide.

'The strong but soft storms are a force of destruction as well as a friend. People fear the Storm without knowing that without the Storm they wouldn't be able to survive. Without the Storm rain would never reach the fields. Storm will help you if you let him.' Will was confused. She could understand some of this but the most seemed a bit far fetched. When she came to the meaning her eyes opened. 'Speed: Your weapon has been enchanted to be even easier to handle as for you perfectly crafted weapon. The weapon is able to move at speeds of a master in the hands of a novice.'

Will was utterly shocked. She finally understood why she had become so good with her sword in... pretty much over night. Slowly the meaning that she had not improved as much as she thought filled her mind. It was a shock. It shot part of her confidence down**,** but on the other hand.... it was also a strong motivation; a motivation to grow stronger and be able to protect her mistress and friends.

Will picked up her sword, looking down on the purple leather. 'Raven.... why are you doing this? Why are you doing so much for me? Why do you care so much? Why do you trust me so much?' Tears pooled in her eyes, a few rolling down her cheeks and tripping onto the leather.

Will didn't know how long she sat there, sobbing softly when a hand carefully touched her shoulder. The young Drow looked up,staring into the silvery eyes of her mistress. "Will......" "Why..... why does he do all that for me...... WHY?!"

Before Elyon could react Will launched herself into the taller Elf's arms, crying into her chest. Elyon didn't know what to do or answer. Her arms simply moved around Will, her left hand moving up and down the girl's back in hopefully soothing motions. Will's hand fisted into Elyon's top, holding onto her for dear life. Her tears were soaking the other girl's nightgown swiftly as Elyon sat down on the forest floor and put Will in her lap.

Neither girl knew how long Will had cried into Elyon's shoulder but Elyon's ears picked up the sound of leafs being crushed under boots. Looking over her shoulder the Heiress saw no one else but Cornelia. The blond Druid had something strange in her eyes, something Elyon couldn't quite place. It was an emotion Elyon was utterly unfamiliar with. Cornelia had a blanket in her hands and wrapped around the two Elf's shoulders.

Elyon shot her oldest friend a thankful look that Cornelia answered with a... somewhat forced smile it seemed.

Before the Elf could question her friend Cornelia walked back to the girls' group and went back to her sleeping bag. Elyon was truly confused at this all but the small sobs still coming from Will soon demanded her attention.

Elyon looked down at Will for a long time, watching how the girl was slowly claimed by sleep. Her breaths evened out and grew less choppy as the poor girl gave into sleep. Elyon simply held her, rocking them slowly back and forth on the spot while making sure the blanket stayed securely around them.

Taking a look up at the sky and the stars Elyon wondered why things could never be easy for Will.......

-----Destiny commands All----

Cut. Copy. Archiev.

Elyon and me are on the same page here: why does Will ALWAYS get the short end of the deal? seriously, isn't she burdened with enough already?

Cornelia seems to be suspecting something between Elyon and Will. wonder what is going through the mind of the blond Druid right now......

until the next time and keep in mind: reviews make me happy and feed my motivation and inspiration.

- Nelo Akuma


	14. Knowledge is not always desirable

Good Day Ladies and Gentlemen.

First thing first i got some news that might not be what you want to hear: 'Child of twisted Destiny' will be put on hold for roughly 2 months.

the reason is simple: i am going on vacation. access to electricity will be scarce and i am not going to start on internet access. if the next chapter after this gets posted i will be back to the usual schedule of 1st/15th of a month.

-----Destiny commands All----

It was over six weeks after the girls' trip to Ceredale and things had gone rather smooth for each of them. School had become less of an ordeal for Will with each day, learning to simply ignore the glares and snarls. Also, the times where Raven had to interfere had lessened dramatically, being reduced to maybe once every two weeks.

After her slight emotional breakdown Will had dedicated herself to training, drowning herself in studies of the arcane arts as well as her ability to wield the blade. She had shocked pretty much everyone with her newly found determination but especially Raven was happy with it. The Drow's growth with the sword as well as her Arcane potential was frightening to watch.

She learned and mastered two additional Hexblade spells: Read Magic, a spell that would implement a temporary understanding in her mind that would let her read nearly every magical text and the Whirling Blade spell, a spell that would take hold of her sword and magically attack everything within a 60 foot line.

Her Warlock powers though, had grown the most under her training. After she pestered Raven for a great many times, the older Warlock had given in and taken her to the next level. So far he had only trained her in the Invocations he had taught her: the Eldritch Spear, Entropic Warding and the last one he had taught her: the Baleful Utterance, an Invocation that could shatter smaller objects to smithereens with only a command.

All of those three were of the Least level, the most basic level of Warlock Invocations. But with the way Will had grown, so had her magical reserves and in the end Raven had deemed her ready to learn Lesser Invocations, the next step up. He taught her how to alter the very core of her Eldritch Blast, to imbue it with different elements, Fire and Cold. The Brimstone Blast would change the normally purple projectile into a burning red missile, exploding with small fires upon contact. The Hellrime Blast was the same, just for the Cold element, changing the energy to a biting cold projectile of ice.

Right now Will had her eyes set on an Invocation that Raven was very adamant NOT to teach her yet: Voracious Dispelling. The purpose of the Invocation was to forcefully break any protective spell the target had cast on themselves and turn the energy against them.

At Will's question of why not, Raven had leveled the coldest glare he had every given her, his voice grave, dark and dangerous. "You seek a power that has corrupted lesser and bigger minds than yours. It doesn't call upon your own power but the power of the Entity that granted you your Warlock powers in the first place. We do not know where your power hails from and without knowing I will not teach you this Invocation. I am not willing to risk an infernal being taking over your mind."

Will grumbled as she made her way to the Ilvaren Library, dead-set on figuring the Invocation out herself. She knew it would truly strengthen her chances in the Arcane Thunder and she would be damned if she didn't try it.

Will spent the next hours searching through the numerous tomes of wisdom, a selected few landing on her table as their names held at least a chance of being what Will sought. In the end Will had nearly ten books that she wanted to scan through. Looking outside one of the many windows she saw how the sun started to set slowly and she sighed, moving to a small cabinet to get herself a couple of candles.

She placed the candles around the edges of the table, casting the whole table in a twilight before sitting down and pulling the first book from the stack. Bending over the book Will's eyes adjusted to the flickering light as she dove into the search for forbidden knowledge she hoped to find.

-----Destiny commands All----

....... His mind slowly filled with a feeling of dread, fear and utter terror. He could feel the beast clawing at his mind.

Ice cold talons scratched at his skull.

Slowly lines engraved themselves into his scalp.

Blood dripped down his face, small rivers rolling down his temples and slowly flew into his eyes.

He didn't blink as the red liquid flowed over the sensitive eyeball.

Black lines slowly spread into his eyeballs, the skin slowly starting to dry up.

Shakily he rose his hands, seeing blisters form all over his pale skin.

The blisters burst open, sickening green liquid oozing freely and running down his arms, eating away at his skin.

He watched in horror how slowly his muscles were exposed, twitching and turning in his very sight.

Looking up he saw a mirror, seeing how slowly his skin fell piece by piece from his face.

His lips withered away, baring his slowly yellowing teeth before they simply fell out of his mouth.

The muscles of his face began to turn and twist; the bones of his skull started to shift, break and deform.

He saw how his brain slowly was squeezed out of the cracks in his skull.

His mind slowly was reduced to that of a primate as he could very barely see how his face was slowly turned into a demonic grimace.

His last thoughts were clear....... his last thought was the clearest thought in all his life '....... ........ ......... Death...... would be nice..... ...... ..... .....'

And then a violent scream raced from his mind that quickly turned louder and more infernal.

The muscles and skin were ripped off his face as the skin on his stomach stretched outwards.

The thin skin on his stomach ripped and with a huge gush of blood a horned skin burst from within hi-

Will slammed the book shut, panting heavily as her heart raced faster than ever. Cold sweat was running down her temple and her hands trembled as she let go of the book as if it was hotter than the sun.

'Oh Eilistraee....... this is..... sick.......' Her hands fisted as she tried to calm down enough to form straight thoughts. 'And to think..... that this was the most...... tame description.......' her gaze drifted up to the other four books that yet remained.

'I...... I can't....... this..... this foolish pride...... I should have trusted Raven.......'

Silently tears started to stream down her cheeks, her mind showing her vivid images of what she had read not too long ago. Images of horned demons and devil bursting from within the Warlocks filler her mind. Images of how, oh so slowly, their bodies were twisted and warped to fit their new masters.

Slowly she rubbed her hands over her arms, trying to rub away the feeling of dread and fear. But the tears of shock and fear wouldn't stop. She was rocking back and forth in her seat, trying to force the images of utter carnage from her mind but they only ingrained themselves deeper and deeper within her mind.

A squeaking sound behind her made her spin around, face growing paler and her eyes wide. Her heart raced as if it wanted to burst from within her chest.

There in the door stood Elyon, holding her nightgown close while in her free hand she held a candle. "Will, it's late. What are you still doing up?"

Elyon could easily see that Will was troubled, the way she tried to rub warmth into her arms was obvious. "Will, what's the matter?"

The young Drow gave no answer. She simply stood up, her legs feeling shaky and insecure as she stumbled towards Elyon. Slowly, as if scared of the very act Will moved into reach of Elyon's arms before clutching to the girl in desperation.

Elyon felt the whole of Will's body shivering against her, shaking with unhidden fear. Letting go of the nightgown Elyon moved her arm around the shaking and frightened girl. Softly she rubbed her hand up and down her back, muttering soft and hopefully calming words into the shorter girl's ears.

It wasn't long before small sobs filled the air and Will's dam broke. Carefully Elyon steered the two towards one of the couches in the room, setting her candle down softly. Quickly sitting down Elyon pulled Will into her lap, her right hand rubbing over the girl's back with the left hand was buried in her hair, softly rubbing her scalp.

"Will..... tell me what happened..... please........" Will's sobs and tears stopped for just a second, enough to cause Elyon to fear that the girl had fallen unconscious due to some emotional shock.

"I..... I..... I wanted to learn this Invocation," started Will, her voice hoarse and shaky. "Raven..... he said I wasn't ready for it...... that he would not teach me....... But I thought it would be of great use for me."

Elyon knew right then that Will would not be able to speak about this for some time without reliving her nightmares. Placing a soft finger on the young Drow's lips Elyon shushed her. "Enough. You don't need to speak now. You need rest, come to bed with me."

Will could only nod softly, her voice gone. Slowly both girls stood up and Elyon picked up the candle before leading Will outside the library by her hand. The taller Elf only hoped that things would go better than she predicted.

Once in their room Elyon was swift to undress Will and force her under the covers before crawling under them as well. Like her life depended in it Will latched onto her mistress, her arms moving around the taller girl while she buried her head in the girl's chest. Elyon was thankful that the darkness covered up the heated blush on her cheeks as Will snuggled desperately into the Elf's breasts. Drawing deep breaths Elyon brought up her left hand to softly weave into Will's hair. The other hand softly rested on Will's back and Elyon instinctively started to hum an old Elven lullaby.

The vibration coupled with the Elf's warmth slowly forced away the dark memories of Will and were calming her down enough for her mind to slowly drift away into the darkness that as sleep. Elyon lay awake longer, staring up at the dark ceiling while the hand in Will's hair slowly moved to the girl's ears, softly stroking the edges of the sensitive ear.

'Will..... what have you seen that shakes you so strongly? What is it that is filling your mind with such fear?' Knowing that she needed sleep as well Elyon closed her eyes, hoping that Will wouldn't get any nightmares for the rest of the night.

-----Destiny commands All-----

"Go. You little monster. You have nothing left here." The shadowy figure before the young Will was sternly glaring down at her with eyes colder than ice. Will had tears in her eyes, one of her many weaknesses. "NO! Mother! Don't!" A vicious slap caused Will to fall to the ground in a crying heap, holding onto her badly hurting cheek. "How dare you call me mother you puny excuse! If you were lucky enough to be my daughter you wouldn't be such a weakling; you are weaker than the accursed Rivin!"

Turning to many other shadows behind the still crying and whimpering Will the figure commanded. "Take this Rivin away from me." Two shadows grabbed Will by the arms and started to drag her away. The small child tried to fight, "MOOTHER!!!!" But she saw the shadowy figure turn away, long hair obscuring her face as an arm came up and a hand seemed to brush something from her cheek.

Young Will cried, scream and pleaded but the shadows were unwavering, using her cries and screams to hurt her even more as they dragged her out of the Underdark.

-----Destiny commands All-----

Will looked ahead, tears streaming down her cheeks as she watched how one after another her friends turned away from her. "NO! WHAT HAVE I DONE?! WHAT?!"

Slowly Irma turned to her, her teal eyes cold and filled with hatred, "What you have done? You breathe, you live. That is enough. Did you really think we would WANT to be friends with a monster like you?"

"What," gasped Will, her tears stopping for a moment. Hay turned around, her lips raised in a cruel smirk, "Oh come on filthy bitch. You really think we liked you? Get real scum. You were nothing but a toy. It was fun while it lasted but now I am bored with you."

New tears fell from Will's eyes as sadness filled her mind, "No.... no..... you don't..... don't mean that......." Elyon turned to her, laughing cruelly while she walked towards Will, "Ahahahahaha! You are serious? Oh my, how I have been wrong." Grabbing Will's hair Elyon pulled Will's head back painfully, getting a cry of pain form the Drow. "You are truly weak. I thought I could use you as a shield at last but no, you can't even die for me."

Elyon smirked slightly before slapping Will strongly several times, her hand in her hair making sure Will couldn't get away.

"Elyon! Please! Stop!" Will's cries for mercy were only fueling Elyon's glee as she slapped her more and more, each blow getting more forceful. With one last and mighty blow Elyon struck down Will, the young Drow trying to curl up into a small ball. The five girls ignored her crying and quivering form, laughing cruelly as they walked away and left the Drow on the streets. Shadows drew closer to Will, dark smirks in their featureless faces.

Hands reached for her, ripping away her clothes before they began to travel over her body, groping, squeezing and molesting her body. "No!" her cries went unheard as she was dragged into a dark alley before the shadows had a go at her.

-----Destiny commands All-----

She looked ahead. She couldn't believe her eyes. In front of her stood Raven. 'I am saved,' thought the young Drow as a sliver of hope sparked within her. She tried to raise a hand towards him, her eyes begging for help.

Slowly Raven walked closer, his face a stony mask while his eyes were flickering with a cold fire. Will's eyes widened in shock and terror as slowly Raven drew his sword, the steel glowing in a bright purple. "I can't believe I fell for your charms...... I can't believe I let you bewitch me...... But not anymore."

She could only stare as she saw him tower above her, raising his sword before stabbing it down. Will cried as the cold steel cut deep into her torso, piercing through her left lung and deep into the ground below her. He drove the sword into her until she could feel the cross guard pressed against her.

A rough hand grabbed her chin and forced her mouth shut. The motion nearly caused her to bite off her own tongue as she still screamed from the pain. She could feel the acid drip from the blade, eating away at her skin with relentless cruelty.

"Open your eyes you damned bitch...... LOOK AT ME!" Will cried as the sword was twisted in her wound, snapping rips and tearing her chest wide open. Very slowly she cracked open an eye, her sight bleary from her tears and the pain. After a few moments she could see Raven stand above her, purple lightning sparking off from both his hands while he gave her a grin that revealed his teeth.

"This will be your end..... foolish Drow. I still can't believe you milked so much of my teachings from me....... But don't worry...... It will be all over soon........" He took a few steps backwards, his grin widening further and further while he raised his hands and pointed them at her.

"R-r-a-v...... v-e-e-e-n," breathed Will, her eye begging him to end this madness while at the same time questioning him why he did this. Her heart was starting to beat out of rhythm, the huge hole in her lung slowly causing her whole body to fail her.

"Rot in Hell, Devil," smirked Raven as he unleashed his Invocation on Will.

Will's cries of pain filled the streets, her body tensing in erratic patterns as the Eldritch Might started to tear her body apart from the inside, slowly liquefying her organs. The last thing she saw was Raven laughing manically, head thrown back while he looked down at her lightning covered body.

With one last thought Will's mind gave in and fell into the Eternal Darkness, '…............ why.................'

-----Destiny commands All-----

Will sat upright with a shock, her breath coming fast and uneven, her heart pounding in her chest so fast it felt like her chest was going to explode outwards any second. She was drenched in cold sweat, clutching the covers in her sweaty and shaking hands.

Will looked around with wild eyes, her red eyes wide and fearful. 'Was this.... a vision.....?' "Will........?"

Will froze at the sleepy voice of Elyon waking up next to her. The Elven Heiress rubbed her eyes while her free hand pushed a few stray strands out of her face.

Memories raced back to Will and fear and hatred gripped her mind. Clad only in a black long shirt and some panties Will shot up and out of the bed, running for the door. "WILL!" Elyon's call fell on deaf ears as Will tore open the door and started to run down the corridor and then the stairs.

She could hear Elyon screaming behind her, surely starting to wake the whole house but she didn't care. Naked feet slapped onto the cold stone floor as she reached the entrance hall and dashed through the large doors, moving them with strength beyond her body.

Acting on old instincts Will raced around the house and towards the northern end of the Ilvaren estate. She knew that the walls of the estate in the north were also part of the city walls themselves. Past them she would be outside the city and right into the woods around it.

She was running through the trees that covered the whole of the estate, her pupils wide and taking in every ounce of light. She weaved around the trees as if she had been running through them for years, dodging low branches and jumping over roots. Behind her she could hear shouts for her, voices calling her name. She could make out Zaden's darker voice and Weira's melodic shouts.

Will never stopped but started to move even faster. After a few minutes she had reached the walls and without a thought, as if she had done it time and time before she started to scale the smooth wall. She didn't notice the slightly purple glow around her hands and feet as she climbed up the walls like a lizard.

Reaching the top of the walls Will wasted no time and started to crawl down on the other side on all fours. Reaching the half point of the walls Will pushed herself off the wall. She rolled a few times over the forest floor, stones digging into her back and tearing her shirt.

Ignoring the pain Will was swiftly to stumble back to her feet and dash through the woods. Tears were rolling down her cheeks as she barreled through the woods, twigs whipping into her face. Shallow cuts started to appear on her cheeks, arms and chest as she forced her way through the thick woods.

Will didn't know how long she had run before her legs gave out from under her and she fell to the ground. She rolled down a small hill, ignoring the pain that came from her fall. At the foot of the hill she slammed into a small tree and for the first time she felt pain shoot through her body.

Will simply lay in one place her chest heaving with deep and quick breaths. Her whole body was covered with dust, her shirt torn to ribbons and doing little to cover her growing body. For how long she had lied there Will didn't know but suddenly she heard several twigs snap under heavy boots.

With energy she didn't know she still had Will rolled onto all fours and pushed herself up, looking around frantically before her eyes fell on a cloaked figure walking closer. It's build clearly stated that it was a male, standing a bit taller than 6'5''. A blue cloak hung from his shoulders and covered his whole body. His face had a certain reptilian form, his eyes green and slitted. His skin was pale but in the moon light it seemed as if it was radiating a faintly green color. His long, pale blond hair framed his face while his lips were drawn in a sinister smirk.

The man gave Will a smirk that sent shivers down her spin. "I have found you at lasst.... Come, my Masster sseekss your pressence." His voice was a strange hiss, dark and smooth but with hidden malice.

"Who are you," asked Will, slowly bending her legs and tensing her muscles. The man only frowned, "I do not answer quesstionss girl. You come now or I will usse force."

Will realized that this man was not what he tried to project and spun around before launching her body into the woods, away from the man.

She didn't see the smirk that formed on his face and a forked tongue licked his lips. "Massster only sssaid ssshe had to be alive..... not how healthy ssshe ssshould be......" A hissing chuckle filled the air before the man simply vanished into the dark of the night.

Will ran through the woods, her legs screaming in pain but she knew that if she stopped she was doomed. She threw a look over her shoulder to see if the man was following her but she saw nothing.

Suddenly a presence appeared before her and she turned just in time to see the fist heading for her. Unable to dodge, the fist landed perfectly in her stomach, stopping her abruptly. The air was forced out of her lungs as she coughed up a small spray blood. A split second later a backhand sent her flying away, nearly breaking her jaw before her right shoulder slammed into a tree.

Will cried out in pain as an unholy pain spread through her whole shoulder and she could actually hear her bones snap like twigs in a hurricane. Slowly Will fell down into a heap at the foot of the tree. "Ssseriousssly, I don't sssee why Master is ssso interessssted in you. You are weak, pitifully weak," said the cloaked man as he slowly walked towards Will.

In a desperate attempt, Will threw out her left hand and unleashed three quick Eldritch Blasts at the man. With speeds that she could barely keep up, the man dodged each of the three Blasts before her rushed her.

Faster than Will could defend herself, the man grabbed her around the throat and lifted her above his head. He slammed her back into the tree, causing its bark to dig into her delicate skin and Will couldn't help the cries of pain that passed her lips.

"Pitiful. The more I obssserve you the more I find you lacking. It would take decadesss to train you worthlessssss piece of ssshit." A cruel smirk appeared on his lips as his green, slitted eyes traveled up and down her body. "But I know where you could be of ussse...... Sssuch a young body..... you would attract a great many men and women in ssshort time......"

Will's mind was filled with new fear and she struggled slightly in the man's hand. He only laughed before slamming her into the tree again. Her head hit the bark hard and the impact made her dizzy while her vision wavered. She could feel him drop her but her legs couldn't support her weight and she dropped on all fours. Gasping for air Will managed to look up and saw how the man took several steps backwards.

With a dark smirk he simply raised a hand and blue lightning started to crack around his hand. Time seemed to freeze for Will as she saw how very slowly bows of lighting danced around his hand and arm before they jumped off him and headed for her.

Will's face was enlightened by the lightning and the light was reflecting in her wide eyes. Her mind slowly resigned itself and shortly after even her will submitted to her fate. This was how her life would be from now on till the Gods and Goddesses knew when: a sex slave, only kept around to entertain her clients with her body in any way they demanded.

She observed with blank eyes how the lightning was close to reaching her. A female cry to her left penetrated the air and suddenly a second cluster of lightning filled her field of vision.

The two spells collided, fighting for dominance. The two clusters of lightning were pushing back and forth, trying to overpower the other. In the end it was a draw, the lighting exploding with loud booms that filled the woods.

"Who are you that you dare threaten her," shouted a voice to Will's left and deep down in her mind she recognized Weira's voice. Turning her head Will saw how to Sorceress stepped right next to her. The regal Elf was dressed in nothing but a light and flowing white nightgown, a cloak of light blue thrown over it.

The man let out a dark hiss, clearly unhappy about the Elf's interference. "Ilvaren...... my Massster told me you would interfere...... But I came prepared......"

Faster than Weira could react the man went through several hand gestures and a few muttered words. He threw out his hands at her and from each hand a giant, cone-shaped ice storm was unleashed. Weira was unable to escape the nearly point blank spell and was hit full forces.

Ice shards tore into her body, opening deep wounds. The cold caused frostbite at her bare skin. Cold winds whipped around her and quickly cooled down her body to life threatening levels.

Weira was soon unable to hold her ground and was thrown backwards into a tree. A thick layer of ice slowly formed over her chest and bound her to the tree.

After the spell had slowly died away the man lowered his arms, his chuckle was filled with a dark hiss. "Thisss isss what happensss if you oppossse my Master."

Will stared with open eyes at Weira. The Elf's skin and lips were ice blue and small patches of frostbite were all over her skin. She looked as if she had been frozen eons ago, as did the path of forest between the man and the Elf.

Will could see her breath in the air as clouds as she turned back to the man. He had started to walked towards her, the sound of ice being crushed under his boots loud in the silent forest. "Now, don't anger me more girl or you will end up jussst like that bitch."

Before Will could answer the man, a dark and evil voice rang through the forest, "Think Again." From deep in woods a heat source was approaching fast and a few seconds later a massive ray of fire burst from the trees and aimed straight for the man. He threw up an arm in guard before the flames consumed him.

The woods around the man caught on fire swiftly, bathing the area in a twilight. The man was twisting and turning within the flames, his screams carrying over the roaring fire. A new heat source appeared right besides Will and her head snapped around and her eyes widened.

Dressed in but a pair of black shorts stood Raven. His hands and arms were covered in flickering flames, casting dark shadows over his body and into his face. Will felt as if she was staring down into a pit of Hell in the way the flames illuminated the forest.

Raising one arm Raven never took his eyes off the still screaming man while the heat of his inflamed arm slowly melted the ice the kept Weira prison. After a few seconds Weira's eyes flickered open and she looked around weakly.

Her whole body felt if it had been frozen and she needed a few seconds to recall the last happenings. Her eyes cleared as memory came to her and was again aware of the pain that wrecked through her body. Falling to her knees she wrapped her arms around herself, rubbing furiously to warm herself up while her body was unconsciously drawn towards the heat of Raven.

Raven in the mean time had taken a few steps towards the pillar of flames. The cries of pain had long since passed away and now only the flickering flames.

Suddenly Will could feel a build up of Arcane before the flames were literally blasted away. Strong winds slammed into them, originating from the center of the flames. Will ducked her head low while Raven simply stood there, wisps of flames and ash blowing around his stone cold face.

The man that had attacked Will and Weira was standing slightly bowed, his cloak burned away and revealing the green Chainmail armor he wore underneath. His green eyes came up and glared at Raven with a hatred burning as ferocious as the flames of Hell. "You," hissed the man while he grimaced at the burn marks on his face.

"Me," growled Raven lowly as the flames around him vanished and were replaced by purple lightning.

Will stared in utter fright as she saw the purple lightning come to life and memories came over her. Her mind told her to run away but her body was too tired to comply. She could only watch how Raven and the man stared each other down with pure hatred radiating from their eyes.

"Thisss isss not over," hissed the man before he suddenly vanished in a strong gale. "No, it is not," growled Raven as slowly his Eldritch Might faded away. Turning to Will he took a single step but the girl tried to get away from him. "NO! Leave me alone!"

Raven halted in his steps as if frozen in place. His face was filled with confusion as he observed the fear filled eyes of Will as she tried to crawl away from him. "Will..... it's me, Raven. Calm do-"

"NO!! STAY AWAY! LET ME LIVE!!"

Her frantic screams hit Raven harder than most blows he had ever received. His mind was racing, trying to find a reason for Will's suddenly fear. There was one thing he could think of but she had promised not to research his true being. Even if she had found out why would she also try to run from the Ilvaren, especially Elyon.

Deciding that right now was not the time to figure this out Raven quickly muttered several arcane words before making eye contact with Will. The Drow felt how his magic tried to effect her and she fought with all her might but she was quickly over powered. On the edge of her mind she thought she could hear a muttered "I am sorry" but her consciousness faded to quickly and gave way to blissful sleep.

When Raven was sure the spell had taken root he swiftly went to check on Weira. "You okay?" "Define okay," whispered Weira between clattering teeth. "I see..... Close your eyes and brace yourself."

Weira did as she was told before her whole body was washed with a warmth so welcome that she let out a deep and long moan. Not much later and she could feel warm hands pressing against her skin before a soothing feeling washed over the worst of her wounds.

Raven was hard pressed to heal her wounds, many of the deeper ones clearly beyond his ability. After he healed as many wounds as he could he pulled back from Weira and the Elf slowly stood up. "You think you're good enough to travel back to estate?" "I think I am. But I am more concerned about Will."

Both adults turned to look at the sleeping Drow, their minds racing to figure out the cause. "......... Weira, do you know a Mindspy?" Weira snapped around to Raven, her face filled with shock. "RAVEN!" The man turned to her, his red eyes hard, "Weira, listen: she has been deathly afraid of me. Just yesterday she was bugging me to teach her the Voracious........ Dispelling............" His voice trailed off as his eyes widened in shock.

Weira caught on, knowing about this Invocation, "No.... you don't think.....?" "Weira...... do you have books on it? Even just reports on Warlocks being overcome by their demons?" "........... We do......... Oh Selûne ....... you think she?"

Raven's face darkened, "Yes I do...... You know what this Invocation can do to a mind......... And it's all my fault this happened......." "What are you saying," whispered Weira as she saw how Raven tenderly picked up Will's body. "...... She came to me, asking me to teach her the Voracious Dispelling. I told her off, telling her that it was beyond her till we know where her power hails from....... I was sure it would be enough but obviously I was wrong........."

He looked up at Weira, his eyes sad and angry at the same time, "Weira..... if she truly has tried to learn this Invocation on her own I do not doubt that her sleep has been filled with nightmares so real she thought of them as visions....... Look at how she reacted to me...... and especially to Elyon. She was mortally frightened by our mere sight. I fear for the worst......." Lowering his eyes he spoke in but a whisper, "Let us pray that I am wrong......"

Weira couldn't find any words. She simply stared at the unusual duo of teacher and student. She remembered the time Raven had learned the Voracious Dispelling and it hadn't been pretty. Only his mate had been able to pull him back from the brink of insanity and even she had been nearly struck down by her lover in the process.

Letting out a sigh Raven spoke again, "Come. I can drown in self pity after we have brought Will back and healed her." Felling the known shift in the Arcane Weira raised a hand and placed it on Raven's shoulder before both vanished from the woods.

-----Destiny commands All----

Cut. Copy. Archive.

That's it for today. a rather.... unpleasant chapter but it was high time for some bad shit happening. Right now Will's will and mind are pretty much shattered; will anyone be able to help her? right now even i can't predict what will happen.

- Nelo Akuma


	15. The Mind's World

Good Day Ladies and Gentlemen.

I am sorry that this update took longer than I announced but life happened and vacation was extended. not much else to say about it.

Today we see how Will may or may not cope with her visions and how her friends try to help her.

I want to thank the last reviewers **XV-Dragon**, **Baran3** and **SkarS** as well as my Beta-Reader **Carlalalita**.

-----Destiny commands All----

Elyon was pacing up and down the corridor, her hands clasps together behind her back. Fear and Uncertainty were clearly visible on her face as she paced up and down in front of the door that separated her from her servant and friend. Six pairs of eyes were following her in her pacing, their owners just as tense as the young Elf.

Zaden was watching the five girls from the corners of his eyes, his arms crossed and his hands gripping his biceps tightly. The veteran warrior was a bit less effected, knowing what their 'associate' was capable of. Together with Raven and Weira she should be able to mend Will's mind.....

On the other side of the door sat Weira in a chair next to the bed Will had been placed in, her hands clasped together and sweaty while she stared at her ally and Raven working on Will. Her ally was only there as a medium in this case to send Raven into the young Drow's mind and keeping her mind from overloading. Raven was the key element; success or failure rested on his shoulders.

The Sorceress' eyes traveled to the only man in the room and she saw his face of concentration drenched in sweat. He had been in the girl's mind for several hours by now and it was a wonder he was still able to keep it up. From experience Weira knew how taxing it is to enter and stay in a foreign mind and the fact that Will was emotionally unstable right then didn't help that in any way. True, it made entering easier by a bit but staying inside her mind would be trice as hard.

Her eyes turned to her ally and she saw the pale woman faring no better than Raven, even though he job was a lot easier. Weira guessed that she could keep the connection up for maybe..... one more hour. If Raven had not succeeded by then...... Will's mind could be forever lost to them.........

Burying her face in her hands Weira couldn't help the few tears streaming down her face. She couldn't blame Raven for Will's state; no one was to blame. 'Oh Selûne, I beg of you: help this poor soul to find her center again......'

-----Destiny commands All-----

Raven was slowly making his way through what he suspected to be a part of the Underdark. He had walked through the maze of tunnels and caves for what felt like hours if not days. He had met no one and nothing besides a few small spiders here and there but that was enough to make him suspicious. He had been surprised when he had appeared in Will's mind decked with all his gear and weapons. The next thing that sent alarms ringing was the fact that he was underground, appearing in a cave with only one exit and no way to reach the surface.

Enhancing his sight he had started his journey into the depths of the caves, praying that his suspicions would not come true.

'I truly wonder why Will's mind would be set in the Underdark..... I thought she was one of the surface born........,' thought Raven as he moved through the dark, his eyes glowing in a faint red. 'Nothing but coin sized spiders...... nothing they could live on........'

Suddenly, after hours over hours of silence he could hear something...... many clicking sounds started to come from deep down the corridor.

The hairs on his neck stood on end, adrenaline started to pump through his veins, his pupils widened to take in as much light as possible.

The clicks grew louder and more numerous, causing Raven to slowly draw his sword. His knuckles turned white with the force he used to grab the handle while an odd feeling was filling his mind: fear. It had been so long ago that he had felt fear but here...... inside the mind of a person he was but a bug in a forest. One thought of Will and she could create things that could destroy him in a matter of seconds.

Licking his dry lips Raven moved up to the next turn in the cave, keeping his body low to the ground. His eyes were so focused that any direct light would have most likely blinded him. Reaching the corner every single muscle fiber went harder than adamatine. He pressed his back into the rough wall, taking only long and shallow breaths as he prepared himself for whatever he might see.

His muscles tightened, his eyes sharpened and then he spun and passed the corner. He needed a bit to realize what he saw: on a raised Throne sat...... Will....... Dressed in her usual garb the young Drow sat in the stony seating. Small metal bands bound her in place around her wrists, her waist, her ankles and her throat. Her chin had fallen on her chest, her red hair having grown way passed her shoulders and obscuring her face.

At the foot of the throne were hundreds upon hundreds of fist sized spiders, all black in color...... and with a Drow head........ Raven felt his skin crawl as he realized the meaning of this. 'Lolth..... You will NOT have her!'

Ignoring the tingling in the back of his mind Raven was swift to advance towards the raised throne, ignoring the spiders being squashed under his boots. The crunching sound of chitin seemed to reach Will's ears as very slowly her head rose and her eyes opened. Her red-golden eyes seemed unfocused, searching the source of the sound before they slowly focused. "...... So you have come to finish me off.........?"

Raven froze in his steps, his eyes widening slightly at the dead voice, "What the heck are you talking about Will? Why should I wish to kill you?" "........ I have seen it....."

Raven's mind was spinning as Will unconsciously showed him her 'vision'. A slight scowl found its way on his face, "Will, you are no Seer; how can you know this is truth? The future is not set in stone. If it were all the Gods and Goddesses would have been slain ages ago." "Why should I care for Gods to whom I am but a toy," questioned Will in a dead voice, eyes drilling into Raven's. The man felt himself shiver again, her red-golden eyes seemed to scan past his body and into his soul.

"Will..... why are you so sure that what you saw is the truth? How can you KNOW that what you saw wasn't just your fears taking physical form?"

Will was silent, her eyes simply staring into his while she sat unmoving. Raven was starting to sweat more with each minute his young ward stared at him with those dead and tired eyes.

He had seen those eyes before, the same unwill to keep living. Swallowing dryly Raven sheathed his sword as a sign that he was no threat. "Please Will.... do you truly and deeply believe what you saw?"

"It doesn't matter what I believe; it is more than possible," spoke the Drow in a cold voice that sent chills down Raven's spine. Raven was slowly getting fed up with Will's cold tone. "Oh for the sake of..... Will! WHY would they and I have gone through all the trouble to care for you if you were but a toy to us?!"

A slight tint of anger and..... hope entered her eyes. But then...... "Kukukukukuku, foolish mortal. This child of mine is way past your grasp." Raven spun around, the chilling female voice sending fear and cold sweat down his spine.

Behind him stood a full grown Drow female, standing just shorter than him. Her pure white hair was shoulder long and pulled into a single braid at the back of her head. Her sensually shaped body would have made other women envy her. A dark purple metal corset outlined her naked breasts and nipples, pushing them further into the center of attention. Tight fitting leather pants of pure black hugged her hips like a second skin, molding themselves to her curves and leaving nothing to the imagination. Her burning red eyes shone with a light of sadism and contempt that would make any man do to her bidding.

Raven swallowed dryly, not really sure what he saw was real. "What.... What do you want in this mind...... follower of the Spider Queen......?" His voice was broken, his hormones clearly running wild within him. The female gave a simple sultry smile as she walked towards him, his swaying sensually. Stopping before him she placed her right hand on his chest, her long, black painted nails scratching over his armor while her left hand cupped his cheek before she followed his cheekbone and then jawline with a delicate finger.

"Follower? Foolish mortal..... recognize who stands before you and bow Male." Realization dawned on Raven's face as he quickly stepped back from the female, ripping his sword from its sheath. Raising the blade high into a defensive position, Raven took a sideways stand towards the older Drow and blocking her from Will.

"You may be whoever you claim but I will not hand over the young one without a fight," whispered Raven in a cold and dark voice, not showing any signs of fear in front of the Avatar before him. A dark giggle escaped the female, "Oh foolish Male, you stand no chance against the likes of me."

A vicious smirk appeared on Raven's face, "Try me." With silent movements Raven rushed the Avatar, gripping his sword with both hands. The Drow simply smirked at him, her red eyes glowing slightly as the small spiders on the ground all suddenly turned towards Raven.

Without warning the small vermin suddenly jumped towards Raven, trying to bite the man anywhere. His eyes opened in shock, having totally forgotten about the small creatures before he frantically started to swat away and crush the arachnids. But he wasn't fast enough and he could already feel the potent poison sap away some of his strength. But still he was determined to not hand Will over to the Avatar without a fight.

"Poison me all you want Servant of Lolth but that won't make it easier," roared Raven as he sliced diagonally at the Avatar. The female kept on smirking as she lazily raised her left arm.

With a clang metal hit metal. The woman blocked Raven's massive blade with but a simple dagger. "Oh little Male, you should know your place and beg me to kill you."

Raven's eyes flashed with anger and hatred as he took his left hand off the handle and slammed his fist deep into the female's stomach. The Avatar barely reacted but her body was pushed backwards from the force of the blow. Using the short moment of distance Raven spun right, his sword forming a horizontal crescent aimed for the Avatars midriff.

But before the steel could cut into the Avatar's flesh a wall of spiders rose in its path and absorbed the brute force of the blow. Raven snarled darkly as he tried to pull his blade free without success. Abandoning his weapon Raven let go, jumping backwards to dodge the deadly dagger swipe.

Glaring at the Avatar before him Raven balled his hands to fist, purple lightning dancing around his hands and wrists. Suddenly a smirk grazed his features as an idea formed in his mind. Very slowly the lightning vanished from his hands, replaced with a soft, blue light. "Maybe I won't be able to beat you...... but I sure as Hell can stall you!"

Thrusting his arms forward at the Avatar two constant rays of blue energy burst from his palms and hit the female head on. Shock was quickly evident on on her face as the Hellrime Blast Invocation hit her fully and froze her skin over. Frost appeared all over her body and greatly limited her ability to move.

Spinning on his heels Raven used that moment and dashed towards the still bound Will, absentmindedly noticing that the girl's face was one of confusion. Combining two of his Invocations Raven coated his fists in a greenish color before he brought his hands down on the metal bands binding Will.

In a matter of seconds the metal bands melted away, giving into the superior power of the Vitriolic Blast. Without waiting for any word from the shocked Will Raven grabbed her wrists and pulled her flush against his body. "Hold on tight," muttered Raven as as his right arm went around Will's shoulders and his left arms dipped down to scoop her up in her knee bends.

Will couldn't help the slight blush that creped up on her cheeks as Raven held her bridal style before dashing down one of the many corridors that led into the room. 'Why? He sees me as nothing but scum. Why? He should let me die. WHY?' Tears of confusion and anger filled her red eyes as she curled up into a ball in her teachers arms.

Raven was not paying attention to Will's actions, his mind too focused on getting away from the Avatar of Lolth. It took his mind a few moments to realize that Will had spoken to him. "Let me down."

Ignoring the.... request Raven just kept dashing through the dark corridors, his eyes focused forward while his other senses were directed backwards. "Let me down." More force behind her words but still no reaction from the man to let her down and all her to move on her own.

Suddenly a purple glow illuminated his face. "LET ME DOWN!" The point blank Eldritch Blast hit Raven right between the eyes. The force of the emotion powered Invocation sent Raven flying backwards, loosing his grip on Will as he was blown backwards from the blast, hitting the ground and sliding on his back across the rocky floor. {special note: these are your words as you explained them to me. For once not a paraphrase by me}

Disoriented from the blow Raven took a second to understand what had happened. Slowly propping himself up on his elbows Raven faced the enraged visage of Will, her eyes flashing red while her lips where drawn up in an truly pissed snarl. 'Note to self: Will is scarier than a dragon when angry.' "Will-"

His sentence was cut off as Will planted her fist in his face. The blow didn't really hurt but still it had more force than Raven expected the girl to be able to produce.

The next blow landed on his chest, then one in his stomach. Another blow to the face, stomach, chest, chest, face, shoulder. Will let down a rain of punches on the male, as tears of rage and anger rolled from her eyes.

Raven could feel blood vessels burst under his skin, the skin on his chin and lips broke. On his right eye he could feel the beginning of an angry bruise. Too stunned, the man could not defend himself from his angry student.

Suddenly he felt a great source of power race towards them and his eyes opened in shock. Pulling up his right leg, he planted his foot on Will's chest and pushed her backwards and away from him.

In a single motion he sprung to his feet and spun on the spot, raising his arms to shield his face from something. He could feel hundreds of small objects pierce his skin and pain flashed through his mind.

Will landed on her back from Raven's forceful but painless action, her head spinning slightly from the surprise attack. It took a moment before she could sit up, but when she did, what she saw made her heart skip several beats and her eyes go wide.

Blood gushed from Raven's body, gapping holes visible all over him. His body reminded her of a sieve, his body just barely held together around the openings. Looking behind her Will saw dozens and dozens of small blades stuck into the cave wall. Turning back to Raven he saw how the man fell to his knees, his breathing erratic and uneven. Barely able to balance himself with his left arm his head slowly rose. "I told you before, you will not lay hand on her as long as I draw a single breath."

A dark and evil giggle filled the corridor and from the dark depths stepped the Avatar of Lolth. "Oh you little foolish Male. You don't have the power to oppose me."

Raven's head fell to his chest, his long hair covering his face. His shoulders seemed to shake with pain but then.....

"Hahahah..... Ahahahahaha...... You are right....... In this form I am too weak to banish you......"

Purple energy started to rise from his body, small sparks jumping through the air. His wounds started to steam slightly as the started to close up right before Will's wide eyes. His magic started to surround him as a thick cloak before suddenly flames burst from his feet, coloring the Arcane power pure red. Raven's lips drew up in a vicious and feral snarl, baring his teeth that seemed to become more pointed.

His whole face seemed to become more feral while he lowered his body till he stood on all fours. The Arcane magic around him seemed to form a flickering body around the man's form, one that Will for the life of her could not figure out.

The Avatar was staring with slightly confused eyes at the hunched over male in front of her before she saw the wicked and downright evil glint in his eyes.

"Pray to your Queen slut," growled Raven out, his voice a bit darker than normal. Suddenly his throat seemed to bulge out and his cheeks puffed out. The he opened his mouth and a massive and super heated stream of flames burst from his throat.

The whole corridor was turned into one massive inferno, the flames so hot that Will could feel the sweat run down her face like water. The fire reflected in her red eyes as she watched how the Avatar twisted and turned, the female's cries loud enough to carry over the roaring flames. The sound of thousands upon thousands of spiders being incinerated within seconds gave Will a very strange feeling of satisfaction deep down in her soul.

After what felt like minutes Raven closed his mouth and the stream of flames subsided. The corridor was still ablaze as very slowly the red magic around him faded. Very slowly he stood back up to his full height, breathing heavily. Will eyed the man warily as he turned to face her, his eyes back to their usual warm red.

Their eyes met and very slowly Will felt something stir in her. "What else..... do I have to do to.... make you see that I...... mean you no harm......," muttered Raven, his throat clearly strained from speaking.

Will's throat was dry as a desert, her mind telling her to listen to the man. Her heart as well hoped for the man to be true to his word but something within her, a small ugly creature named Doubt, still had it's dark roots in her. That little creature was the reason the next words left her lips. "Kiss me."

Raven was sure that his ears were deceiving him, that the echoes of the Underdark were warping the words Will spoke. "What," whispered the man, his voice thick with surprise.

"Kiss me. Kiss me like a lover and show me that you truly care," said Will, her mind racing to figure out what possessed her to speak those words. Deep down she was sure that Raven would never do this, that he would shy away from doing such an act of trust with a dirty Drow like her.

So lost was she in her thoughts that she never noticed Raven slowly making his way towards until his fingers softly traced her left cheek. Her eyes snapped open and instantly she was aware just how close the man's face was. A blush colored her cheeks as his thumb traced over her cheekbone, his warm breath tingling on her lips while his eyes bore down on her with such a force she wanted to look away but couldn't.

Unconsciously Will leaned into the man's hand, her eyelids fluttering slightly as he kept caressing her skin. She saw him tilt his head slightly while leaning in as well. Less than an inch separated their lips and their rapid breaths mingled and it caused Will to fully close her eyes.

And then their lips connected. Will felt the rough and chipped lips softly press against her own ones. A shiver went through her whole body as she unconsciously leaned into his soft touch, her arms raising and her hands gripping the collar of his armor tightly. She was desperate for the touch, she sign of trust and care.

Shyly she tried to intensify the feeling, her lips parting and very slowly her tongue snaked past the cherry red lips. She was sure she could feel him grin, his lips twitching slightly. The tip of her tongue shyly traced his chapped lips, unsure how to proceed.

As if reading her mind his lips parted and his own tongue touched hers, tracing it with a featherlight touch and teasing it slightly. Will grew bolder with each passing moment and in a burst of bravery moved her tongue past his and into his warm mouth.

He tasted strangely like smoked meat and a hint of.... ash maybe. His tongue softly stroke hers as she explored his mouth to her heart's content. She noted that his canine teeth seemed pointed and sharper than hers. She actually nicked her tongue on first contact and the slight coppery taste of blood mingled with his natural taste, making for a very unique experience.

Will couldn't help but moan deeply as his left hand came up and oh so softly traced her right ear. The simple, subtle motion sent shivers up and down her spine.

With a gasp Will broke the oh so sensual kiss, her eyes opening wide. She quickly looked at Raven whose own eyes were half-lidded. His hands kept softly caressing her ear, coaxing yet another moan from her lips. Unable to control herself Will used her hold on his collar to smash their lips together for a second kiss.

This time Will coaxed Raven into exploring her hot mouth and the man followed it with a childlike curiosity. Will felt him trace the roof of her mouth....... her teeth........ licking her tongue base to tip.........

They kissed for what felt like ages this time, switching between exploring the others mouth and letting their own mouth be explored. Raven's hands had moved to caress both her ears, sending pure pleasure and anticipation throughout her whole body.

As they parted several strings of saliva connected their tongues and lips and Will saw through hazed eyes how Raven licked his lips, his own eyes closed.

"Does that..... suffice as an answer," whispered Raven, slightly out of breath. Will, unable to speak just yet, simply nodded.

Suddenly Raven's body started to jerk violently. "Will...... I can't stay longer- in your mind," gasped Raven as blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.

Will simply nodded and watched how Raven's form dissolved into a thin, red mist. The mist wrapped around her like a blanket before vanishing. Smiling to herself Will felt like taking on the world.

'He does care....... HE DOES CARE!!!'

-----Destiny commands All-----

Weira was staring at Raven's body with fear clearly visible over her face. Her ally had come back from the mind link minutes ago and was resting in one of the guest rooms but Raven was still within the young Drow's mind. A bit ago his body had jerked around and blood had been flowing from his lips before a red Arcane magic had seeped from deep within his body.

The others, Elyon, Cornelia, Irma, and Taranee had chosen that moment to burst into the room, staring at the scenery before them: Will lying in bed, her top removed and blankets pulled up only to her waist, Raven with his right hand placed flat on her left breast, right above her heart.

Elyon had nearly launched herself at the man had Weira not held her daughter back. The others had been preparing to unleash hell on the man when Weira explained everything to them.

Now they were sitting or standing around the bed, praying for Will to come back.

Suddenly Will's body began to glow in a bright purple and Raven's body shook as if rapidly being hit by something. With a final jerk and a loud gasp Raven's eyes shot open and he fell forwards. Just in the last minute he managed to place his hands on the bed, right next to Will's head. Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth and two drops landed on Will's lips. Slowly Will's eyes opened and fell on the face of Raven.

A shy smile tugged at her lips as her tongue licked away the blood on her lips. "Bel'la dos ussta jabbuk," whispered Will before leaning upwards, her tongue slipping past her lips and licking away the blood on Raven.

The man smiled down on her as her head fell back on the cushion, speaking lowly as the girl dropped into a dreamless sleep, "Dos phu' al'doer ussta d'anthe." The man watched with satisfaction how a genuine smile formed on Will's lips before his own body and mind gave out. He dropped forward, landing softly on top of Will while his head fell next to hers.

-----Destiny commands All-----

And Cut.

Well, that was no easy task at all. I had to re-write this a couple of times till things felt right.

We had a trip through Will's mind, faced down an Avatar of THE Drow Deity and cemented the relationship between Will and Raven. How will things play out between the two? Will it become more between them? Only time will tell.

Now a quick question: do you want to have the translations for non-Common at the end of a chapter (like this time) or directly after the sentence is spoken?

**Translations**

Bel'la dos ussta jabbuk. - Thank you my master. AN: In this case 'master' is less meant in the term of 'teacher' but more in the term of a very close relationship between two people.

Dos phu' al'doer ussta d'anthe. - You are welcome my dear.

That's it for today. See you again on the 1st.

- Nelo Akuma


	16. Moving on into Uncharted Regions

Good Day Ladies and Gentlemen.

Yes, I am ahead of schedule but I'll be heading for a Halloween party and I am not sure when or if I will be sober enough tomorrow so I give you an early chapter.

Today we follow the aftermath of Will's mental breakdown and Elyon's reaction to the small scene between Will and Raven.

Thanks for reviewing go to **XV-Dragon**, **Carlalalita, SkarS**, **Baran3** and **WolfDragonGod**.

Not much else to say about it honestly, so enjoy the chapter.

-----Destiny commands All-----

It had been three days since Raven had entered Will's mind. The man had been unconscious for the whole time, bedridden and every so often a red glow seeped from under his skin only to vanish after a few moments.

Will had fared much better compared to the male. She had woken up after a few hours, coming face to face with a worried Weira. The older Elf had asked Will what had happened but the young Drow refused to tell any details. All she said was that Raven managed to pull her out of her depression.

Elyon had been especially worried about her young friend and had been fuming when the girl refused to reveal what happened between her and Raven. The young elven heir had spent a great deal of time finding the meaning behind the words spoken between the unusual pair of teacher and student and what she had found hadn't been to her liking.

Irma, Hay and Cornelia too had reacted not in favor of the male when Elyon told them WHAT the two said to each other and the quartet had started planning the male's untimely demise. Taranee had reacted less hostile towards the man. She even went so far to slightly sabotage her four friends. If Will and Raven had something between them than what right did they have to take this away from Will?

While the the young elven Wizard found the rather prominent age gap 'weird' to put it slightly she knew that Will would live a lot longer than Raven. In the end she had decided to just let things play out.

Will had been up and about a day after she woke up, instantly going back to her studies without a break. Even though Weira and Zaden forbid her from reading or training the young Drow found ways and means to continue her theoretic studies. The memory of her 'visions' still sent shivers of dread down her spine every time she went to bed but slowly she managed to control her fear.

Speaking of sleeping, the sleeping arrangement between Will and Elyon had not changed the slightest. They still slept in the same bed and awoke each morning cuddled up to each other. While Elyon wasn't happy with the latest developments she couldn't bring herself to push Will away.

The girls had spoken little about what made Will act the way she did after Will had an angry outburst. Never before had Will been shouting at Elyon or the others and that alone was enough to shock Will's friends.

Right now Will was found deep in the woods that surrounded the Ilvaren estate, sitting on one of the lower branches of an old tree. Her mind was wandering slowly, reaching towards the Arcane Thunder in just three weeks. 'I don't think I will be ready for it. Raven hasn't been able to teach me anything and Weira and Zaden are still adamant about me not doing any training or research. I can understand that they want to keep THOSE books away from me but.....'

Her thoughts trailed off as she looked up through the leafs, seeing a few rays of sunlight flood into the dark woods. She was so lost in her thoughts that she never noticed the small spark of Arcane magic in one of the higher branches above her nor did she notice the person appearing.

Elyon was standing on the branch above her servant and friend, her golden tinted eyes scanning the Drow's frame. 'What is she thinking? What does she see in this Raven? He has so many secrets she doesn't know about, he admitted it himself.' Silently sitting down on the branch the young Elf started to intently watch the younger girl. 'I wonder what Raven's true interest in her is........ What he does goes beyond being a concerned teacher, even beyond a concerned guardian.'

Suddenly her head snapped up as she felt the Arcane burst right next to her. With wide eyes she saw how the very male in question appeared from thin air. She saw him looking around and how his left eyebrow rose a bit at seeing her and later Will. Nodding his head into the direction of the house he transported his message without words.

Elyon glared at the man, not trusting him even as far as she could throw him but he seemed to be the only one willing to explain anything to her so she nodded. Raven placed a hand on her shoulder before both vanished with a spark of Arcane.

-----Destiny commands All-----

They appeared in the training ring, scaring the poor Zaden who had been doing some training. Getting a glare from both his daughter and his wife's friend the man swiftly got the message that he should get lost and he quickly rushed inside.

Elyon swiftly stepped away from the man, her eyes hard and cold, "What do you want?" Raven looked down on the girl with an unmoving and unreadable face for what felt like hours before his features softened somewhat, showing a tired man.

"Elyon.... I know very well that you are suspicious of me and my..... methods but you do not know what Will went through-" "Because no one is telling me shit," snapped the girl, crossing her arms over her chest. She watched with rising anger how Raven massaged his right temple in annoyance. "If you would just let me finish you might just understand what I am trying to say here."

"Do you have any idea what Will might have been through? What might have caused her this reaction of pushing you away and fleeing? DON'T interrupt me." Elyon closed her mouth, still glaring at the man but not daring to defy him as his normally warm eyes bore down on her with a cold look..

"What she has seen has torn lesser and bigger minds apart. What she has gone through in but a few hours was more than some people ever face in their whole lives. I saw.... memories I dare say of things that would have shattered your will to pieces. I saw things Will herself might not have been aware of at that time." "Bullshit."

Raven's head snapped around to the young Elf, not used to her using such language. He was faced with a hard and cold glare by the young Elf. "How would you know? You don't KNOW her!" "And you do Elyon?"

His voice held no hint of anger or any other emotion and that was what truly caught her off guard. Elyon had expected him to show at least SOME emotion, not go emo on her. "Do you really think you know her that much better? I admit that there are things you will know about that I don't but do you really think you can read her so easily? I have had several more years than you to learn people's habits and the small motions they make without realizing it. And still Will is like a puzzle to me yet you think you have figured her out?"

Elyon couldn't deny the truth in the man's words but she was not willing to give in. Seeing the defiance in her face Raven couldn't help but sigh, "Elyon, it never was my intention to turn Will away from you. You are her first friend and without you the Gods only know where she would be by now. She had unbelievable luck that you found her and not some brothel shark. No matter how her life will turn out to be, you will always hold a special place in her heart."

Elyon stepped back from the man that seemed to read her with such ease. "I.... I don't know what you are talking about," whispered Elyon, turning away from the man. Raven sighed yet again, "Elyon, you may be able to fool others but unlike Will you are a rather open book to me. Whether you realize it or not, you care for Will on a level that goes beyond friendship. You are afraid, afraid that there will be no place for you in Will's future; afraid that someone will take that special spot in her heart that you think of as yours."

"SHUT UP," shouted Elyon, placing her hands over her ears while she closed her eyes tightly. "Shut up! You know nothing!"

"Elyon." Her name spoken with such a sharp edge that you could split a hair on it snapped her out of her thoughts. She opened her yes, finding her vision blurred from tears she didn't know she had been shedding. She moved her arms to hug herself, head held low as new tears fell from her eyes. "Just..... just leave me alone....," whispered the girl as she turned to walk away. A hand fell on her shoulder, trying to stop her. "Ely-" "LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Without warning a blue sphere of energy exploding from Elyon slammed into Raven and flung him away from her. The man slid over the ground for several feet before he came to a stop near the edge of the ring. Looking up he saw the lingering Arcane sphere and Elyon rushing into the house. His face turned into a twisted grimace as he became aware of the frostbite that covered his face. 'Too forceful,' was the only thought in his mind as his head dropped back on the ground.

-----Destiny commands All-----

When Will came back from the woods the sun had long since set and the world was slowly falling into the shadows of night. She had spent most of the afternoon mulling over several things but with nothing she came to a conclusion for herself.

Slowly Will made her way towards the kitchen to get a small bite to eat after missing dinner. She knew the servants had long since retired for the night but she knew the place well enough to find some small things. Pushing open the door to the large room Will wasn't prepared for what she saw.

The large table that stood in the center of the room carried a single lit candle, a large bottle of alcohol and a glass. The owner of the glass was staring down at the small item..... It was Elyon......

The older Elf's eyes were glassy and unfocused while a slight blush colored her cheeks. Will took a closer look at the bottle and realized that it was that strong port wine that Zaden liked to drink. The bottle was gallon sized..... and half empty.......

"Elyon," whispered Will lowly but still the Elf's ears seemed to perk up before she raised her head. Will could smell the strong smell of Elyon's breath and instantly was aware where that half of the bottle had ended up.

"Will..... shome shere......," slurred Elyon, gesturing for the empty stool next to hers and nearly falling to the floor in the process. Will was next to her mistress as fast as she could, taking hold of the girl's shoulders and steadying her.

"Elyon..... how much have you drunk," muttered Will as she sat down next to the other girl to make sure she didn't fall from her stool again. "Noth.... thath mush.....," said Elyon as she brought the glass to her lips again and taking a large gulp of the brownish liquid. Will was swift to take the glass from her mistress and placing it out of her reach.

"You have had enough of that," spoke Will softly as Elyon fell against her. "No..... I wanth more.....," babbled Elyon, reaching out for the glass but missing it by several inches.

"Elyon. You have had enough," said Will, this time more forcefully while placing an arm around the other girl's shoulders. "Shpoil.... shport.....," grumbled Elyon, her head falling on the other girl's shoulder.

Will had no idea what to do with Elyon in this state. Never before did she have to deal with a drunken person and all she knew about it that they could throw up at any time.

While Will was trying to figure out what to do Elyon dozed off on the Drow's shoulder. Her head slipped and then fell into Will's lap. The young Drow gave a startled squeak before her right arm darted out around Elyon's waist to stop the girl from falling totally on the cold floor. "Elyon!"

The Elf's eyes fluttered a bit and she turned into a more comfortable position. Her back lay on Will's knee and her knees dangle off the side of her stool, her face turned upwards and staring up into the worried eyes of her servant.

"Whash she madder," mumbled Elyon, her mind clearly too far away already and fogged by the clouds of alcohol. Without awaiting the Drow's answer Elyon moved her arm around the other girl's waist, snuggling her face into her stomach.

Will tensed up at the contact, wondering what had gotten into the girl now. Sure, at night they both got very cuddly with each other but this was.... different. Elyon was unpredictable and it was scaring Will to be honest. With the small rift between them after the whole ordeal Will had been very careful how she acted with the others.

Suddenly she felt a hand softly stroke her cheek and her mind came back to reality. Looking down she saw Elyon's clouded eyes stare up at her, still clouded from the alcohol. The older Elf was cupping Will's right cheek with her left hand, her slender and delicate fingers dancing over Will's ashen skin.

A lump formed in Will's throat as she couldn't tear her eyes away from the silvery eyes of her mistress. Elyon's fingers were lightening small fires on her skin as the hand slowly traveled down her cheek towards her neckline.

A shiver went down Will's spine as Elyon caressed her neck softly and slowly, her hand very carefully but sluggishly moving around her neck. Will's breath caught in her throat as she saw something strange spark in Elyon's eyes and suddenly the blond Elf moved much faster than she should be able to.

Elyon's hand pulled Will's head down while the heiress moved upwards with her body and suddenly their lips mashed together.

Will was utterly shocked and unable to move as Elyon worked her lips sluggishly against the younger girl's. Will noted in the back of her mind that Elyon's lips were very soft and smooth against her own.

Suddenly Elyon pried Will's lips apart with her tongue and invaded the Drow's mouth. Not wasting time Elyon went about exploring the other girl's warm cavern. She tasted the unique taste of Will while her hand fisted into the neckline of the girl, using her grip to turn Will's head to get better access.

Her tongue traced and massaged the stunned appendage of her partner, trying to coax the slippery muscle into a chase.

Very slowly Will came around, her brain taking in the sensations it was receiving before instincts kicked in. Closing her eyes Will returned the kiss slowly, her own tongue coming to life and moving around Elyon's. The Elf gave a short moan, her silvery eyes slowing somewhat.

Will's free hand grew a mind of its own, moving towards the small of Elyon's back and pressing them together even closer. Their breasts were rubbing against each other and the friction caused new moans and mews from both as they slowly lost themselves in the sparks of pleasure.

Elyon right hand moved from Will's waist and slowly made its way down to Will butt. The red head gave a mix of a moan and squeak as Elyon's fingers softly kneaded her right butt cheek but else she made no objection.

The blond Elf pulled back her tongue into her own mouth and Will's tongue gave chase. No sooner her Will's tongue entered Elyon's mouth she closed her lips around it and started to suckle on the slippery appendage.

Jolts of pure pleasure shot through Will and from the depth of her throat a long, rumbling moan worked its way upwards only to be swallowed by Elyon.

Suddenly they broke the kiss to draw some much needed air and Will's brain managed to catch up with the situation. 'I.... did we........ what........ why......?'

Reason came back with the force of a storm and Will's body went rigid. "Elyon...," breathed Will, looking down at the intoxicated girl with clearly questioning eyes. The older Elf gave no reply, her eyes closed and lips slightly parted.

"Elyon," spoke Will again, louder and a bit more forceful than before. Elyon only gave a slight grunt and turned her head towards Will and nuzzled into the surprised girl's left breast. The movement sent a jolt of pleasure through Will and she gasped lightly.

"Elyon," said Will, now speaking normally and actually shaking her mistress slightly but in vain. Elyon gave just an unidentifiable sound and snuggled closer to Will.

Slowly the poor confused girl realized what had happened: Elyon had fallen asleep.

Will could only sit in the kitchen for what felt like many hours, Elyon snuggling closer and closer to the shorter girl in her alcohol induced sleep.

'What is going on her? Why did she kiss me? Why..... why were we making out?' Looking down on then flushed face of the older girl Will wondered why she hadn't pulled back from the start.

Unwillingly Will's mind started to wander and comparing the two kisses she received within only a few days.

'His was so tender...... soft...... slow........ Hers was so forceful...... lusty....... needy....... What is this all about?' Will's mind was going several mines a minute as she tried to piece together the puzzle.

Suddenly a new shiver went through Will but this time it wasn't from Elyon's actions but from the cold that started to slowly seep into the room. Knowing that both of them would probably get sick if they stayed in the cooling room Will started to slowly and softly shift Elyon's body in her arms.

With some trouble Will was able to make Elyon's body straddle her waist, their chests pressed together with Elyon's head resting on Will's left shoulder. The blond's shallow breaths tickled Will's neck and ear and it caused a moan to vibrate in Will's throat.

Trying hard to ignore the pleasurable tingling that ran up and down her spine Will took hold of Elyon's butt, unconsciously noting how soft and squishy that part felt, and slowly standing up with the unconscious girl pressed tightly against her body.

Will swayed a bit as she tried to get used to the additional weight and trying to ignore the way Elyon kept rubbing up against her. Their breasts rubbed together and Will could easily feel Elyon's hardened nipples against her own. She had to close her eyes and take several deep breaths to slowly get used to the sensation enough so she wouldn't drop the blond by accident.

Carefully and slowly Will started to make her way up to their room, needing to stop every dozen steps to reign in her hormones that kept going wild from Elyon rubbing against her. Will's traitorous mind kept flashing the poor girl images that only served to heat up her own body. She could feel her own nipples going rock hard and it sent new waves of pleasure through Will. She quickly took the last steps of the stairs and then leaned her back against the closest wall as her legs were shaking.

Will's breath was coming more shallow and rapid now, a slight flush crawling up her cheeks as she closed her eyes. 'Control yourself Will........ Calm down...... Bed..... you need to get Elyon to bed....... and then...... and then......'

Pictures flashed through Will's mind, showing her Elyon and herself, snuggled up in bed, their legs tangled up and rubbing against each other. Elyon's head was resting on her right breast, her soft lips wrapped around Will's dark nipple and softly chewing on the sensitive nub.

'NO! STOP THINKING THAT WAY,' screamed Will at herself, shaking her head as if that would help to get rid of those thoughts. Of course it wasn't working and Will had true trouble to keep her hold on Elyon while keeping herself standing straight. Will never noticed that her hands had started to caress the heiress ass and her fingers digging into the soft and luscious flesh.

With shaky steps Will continued her journey, slowly walking up the last flight of stairs. Will nearly dropped Elyon as the heiress started to latch her lips onto the Drow's skin and softly sucked and nipped on it. Will couldn't help the low moan that vibrated within her chest and the slight tremors sent new jolts of more pleasure through her as their breasts rubbed together.

Stumbling down the darkened corridor Will finally managed to reach their room and as silently as possible closed the door behind them. As soon as the lock clicked together a shudder moan broke free from Will's lips and filled the silent room. "Oh Eilistraee...... What is happening," muttered Will as her eyes were slightly hazed.

Shakily Will managed to move both of them to the bed, sitting down on the edge before Elyon weight became too much to hold up and Will fell backward, Elyon on top of her. Will let out a slight groan as Elyon's weight hit her at once and the Drow needed a few seconds to gather her wits.

'I..... I need to undress her......' The thought scared Will as she didn't know how her own body would react. So far Will had never seen Elyon in anything less than her nightgowns and those didn't reveal much. But Will had little choice; them sleeping in their clothes and with their chest bindings would only serve to make them sore in the morning.

Dreading the actions Will slowly managed to sit up again, her left hand moving towards the buttons that kept Elyon's dress in place on the girl's back. Will closed her eyes and focused on the task at hand as Elyon again started to softly nib and suck on the Drow's pulse.

Reaching the last button just above Elyon's panties line Will stopped, trying to steel herself for the clearly coming sight. As softly as possible Will started to remove Elyon's dress, wiggling under the girl and in the process drawing several deep moans from the girl.

After several minutes Will finally managed to pull the dress fully off Elyon, revealing the smooth and slightly tanned skin of naturally pale Elf. Will's breath caught in her throat as her eyes took in the other girl's body. Her fingers were itching to run over that skin, wanting to confirm that it was as soft as it looked.

Shakily Will reached for the girl's pants, undoing the two buttons before she started to trying and pull them off. Will's face flushed bright scarlet under her dusky cheeks as she caught sight of Elyon's panties.

The flimsy white fabric of silk might as well not have been there as the strings holding it together were so thin it was a wonder they kept the item in place at all. Will could only stare at the girl in her arms, only dressed in her barest underwear and she licked her lips slightly. 'Oh Gods...... She's gorgeous.......'

Elyon's body started to slowly slide down and Will's hand quickly reached out and took hold of the girl's butt cheeks to keep her in place. A slight sigh escaped Will as she felt the utterly soft and silken skin under her fingers as she pulled Elyon back up into her lap. 'Her skin is so soft...... so...... luscious........' Will's fingers softly danced over the other girl's skin, tracing every spot of skin.

Knowing that she had to move on Will forced her hands upwards but she couldn't stop herself from moving very slowly, her hands slowly sliding up over Elyon's hips, her sides and then her back, never loosing skin contact. Reaching the white silk that held Elyon's breasts in place Will drew several deep breaths before she started to slowly unwrap the girl.

Layer by layer the white silk came off and after a few minutes the silken band lay on the side of the bed, totally forgotten by the blushing but unmoving Drow. Her red-golden eyes were focused on the soft mounds before her. Smooth and pale skin, topped by creamy nipples; slowly rising with each breath; begging to be touched.....

Will couldn't stop herself as her left hand softly molded itself against Elyon's right breast, the soft mound filling her hand just barely. The creamy, hard nipple popped out between her spread fingers as Will softly moved her hand against the utterly soft flesh. A soft moan came from the heiress lips as Will's fingers were softly stroking velvet skin.

Will felt new pulses run through her and her body slowly moved. Will right hand had been placed on the small of Elyon's back to keep her steady while Will slowly leaned forward. Letting Elyon lean slight backwards Will placed her right cheek on Elyon's left breast, feeling the enlarged nipple poke into her cheek. Will softly rubbed her cheek against the soft mound, drawing slightly moans from both of their throats.

Slowly Will's eyes opened, though unfocused, and a new thought manifested in her mind. Unable to stop herself she slowly turned her head, her lips soon tracing Elyon's boob and then..... closing around the creamy nipple......

Elyon's skin tasted strangely of strawberries and Will couldn't believe how soft and warm the hard nipple felt in her mouth. Old instincts kicked in and she slowly started suckling on the bundle of nerves, drawing a short but sharp cry from Elyon.

That cry brought Will somewhat back to reality as she swiftly pulled back from Elyon's nipple. The blond let out a slight whimper at the loss of pleasure. Staring at the nearly nude girl before her Will suddenly realized what she had been doing and blushed up to the tips of her ears, nearly reaching the color of her hair.

Will knew that she was slowly losing herself in the act. She knew that soon she wouldn't be able to pull back, knowing that old instincts would push her to further feel up the unconscious Elyon..... or more.....

Her mind was torn; on one hand was her Drow side, wanting to take the growing woman before her and bed her in every meaning of the word; on the other hand was the Servant side, desperately trying to hold herself back and maintain the status quo between them. Her Drow side was growing stronger with each passing moment and Will grew more and more willing to follow her blood's calling.

Without Will noticing her left hand had dropped from Elyon's boob and had started to undo the few buttons of her own shirt before pulling it over her head and off. The same hand reached around her back and was swift to find the end of her own, blood red bindings. In a matter of moments the red article pooled next to its sister, leaving both girls topless.

Will couldn't help herself and compare their breasts, finding that over the past months she had grown quite a bit and was nearly as big as Elyon. In some far off and detached corner of her mind Will wondered if Elyon was a late bloomer or if she herself was just growing sooner or more than the older Elf.

Will's right hand had went back to Elyon's ass, taking firm hold on one of the cheeks before pulling the girl closer and pushing her whole body upwards. This very motion placed Will's face right in Elyon's boobs and unable to stop herself she caught the blond's left nipple between her teeth. Her left hand was busy undoing and pulling away her pants while her teeth softly chewed on the creamy bud, drawing new moans from the sleeping girl.

Wiggling her hips Will managed to strip off her pants fully, a slender leg flicking the item away to be forgotten and this revealed the Drow's own choice of underwear: a pair of silken red demi-shorts that didn't even reach her thighs. The motion of raising her hips to pull off her pants had caused their pelvises to rub against each other and their crotches briefly touched.

The very brief moment sent a new and incredible strong wave of pleasure through Will and her head rolled back as a deep moan came from her slightly parted lips. Her red eyes were hazed and unfocused, staring up at the ceiling. Unable to sit up anymore Will fell backwards onto the bed, Elyon landing on top of her. Their boobs were mashed together, their nipples rubbing against each other and it sent pleasure through both of their bodies.

Will propped up her right leg to move their bodies further up the bed but the leg came int contact with something soft, hot and slightly moist. Elyon let out a loud moan right next to Will's ear and the sound wasn't foreign to the Drow. Two thighs were clamping down on Will's leg and Elyon's whole body bucked against Will.

Will inhaled deeply through her nose and for the first time she noticed the spicy scent that filled the room to the brim. Her eyes closed as Will took more deep breaths, inhaling the ever stronger growing scent. Elyon's hips bucked again and Will could feel Elyon's crotch rub against her knee. The spicy scent was making it hard for Will to think straight, let alone think clearly at all and her body started to act on its own.

The muscles in her leg started to tense up before the whole leg started to rub against Elyon's covered vagina. The heiress moaned loudly, her full body rubbing against Will's again and again. Will's hands rose from the mattress and seized the Elf's hips tightly, her fingers rubbing over the soft flesh. Slowly her hands started to move Elyon's hips up and down, creating a fitting pace to match her rubbing leg.

Will felt the moisture on her leg increase exponentially, their boobs and nipples rubbing against each other. Elyon's slightly taller height made this position the perfect fit for them, with Elyon's head resting right next to Will's.

Will closed her eyes, keeping the rhythm that she rubbed against Elyon up and only very slowly picking up the pace. Both girls moaned, Elyon's muffled by the mattress while Will bit her lips hard to keep from being too loud.

The formally moist path on Will's leg was now soaking wet and the juices were slowly tripping onto the sheets below them. The scent made Will heady and totally consumed her mind. A new moan moved up her throat and to stiffen it she buried her face in Elyon's shoulder, latching her lips onto the velvet skin.

Trying to occupy her lips Will started to kiss Elyon's shoulder and neck, slowly moving towards the Elf's ear.

Elyon's lips started to buck more erratic with each passing second and when Will started to softly lick her ear the sleeping heiress arched her back mewling loudly. Then Will caught the tip of her ear between her lips and started to suck on the very sensitive flesh and that was all it needed.

Elyon bit down on Will's shoulder hard as she screamed into her dark skin, her hips stilled perfectly as Will pressed up against the girl's vagina. And then Elyon's pleasure shot over the edge and her juices were flowing freely and utterly soaking the front of her panties and Will's leg. The spicy liquid flew down Will's leg and dripped onto the sheets while Elyon's body was shaking and trembling.

After what felt like several minutes Elyon came down from her orgasm, relaxing against Will's body and unconsciously basking in the afterglow. Both of there bodies were covered in sweat, Elyon's crotch and Will's leg sticky.

Will could hear Elyon sigh as she released the hold she had on the Drow's shoulder with her jaw, leaving a deep imprint of her teeth in the soft skin. Strangely Will was barely feeling horny at all and she had only one thought running through her mind.

Will's right hand left her place on Elyon's hip, softly tracing down and between the two girls. The back of her hand bushed up against Elyon's still tender vulva and the contact made the Elf moan deeply. In a matter of moments Will's hand was coated in the juices her mistress had spilled and she brought the hand up to her nose. Inhaling deeply Will took in the spicy scent and it sent her mind spinning and caused it to fog up.

Reacting on instinct Will's lips parted and she tenderly inserted one of her fingers into her mouth. A low moan rumbled in her throat as she sucked on the slender digit and tasted the liquid. Will couldn't quite place the taste. It was spicy like many of the exotic spices the kitchen staff used..... but Will couldn't fully place it; not that she cared for it.

Very slowly Will licked her whole hand clean, burning the taste into her mind for all her life.

Finally Will felt tired, oh so tired. Wrapping her arms around Elyon she snuggled into the other Elf, closing her eyes while burying her face in the taller girl's shoulder. Sleep swiftly claimed her, never did she even think about what the next morning would bring.

-----Destiny commands All-----

And cut. copy. archieve.

Well, that was rather... heated I dare say. Wonder what posessed Elyon to drink that much or even kiss Will..... is there something rising at the horizon? Or is it just hormones? How will Raven react? And what about Weira and Zaden? Or the rest of the girls? Looks like Fate likes to screw with Will.....

Not much else to say there besides please review as it feeds my muse and helps me keep my schedule. Now I really need to get dressed and get my ass into the bar; see you on the 15th.

Scary Halloween everyone.

- Nelo Akuma


	17. Mapping out Unknown Lands

Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen.

I am sorry for the nearly one week delay but shit has gone down, tits have gone up and it was up to me to set things right. a dear and close friend of mind got ill and I offered to do her shifts, leading to me running double shifts and spending mayb 3 hours a day at home tops. that lead to me not be able to do ANYTHING but sleep for an hour before leaving again. The better part of the weekend was spent catching up on sleep and then getting my ass into gear and finish this chapter.

Today we start at the next morning, right where the last chapter left off. Of course Will's actions haven't gone without reaction and today we will see how things turn out.

But enough of my ramblings and on with the show. Enjoy the ride.

-----Destiny commands All-----

Elyon's mind was very slowly rising from the blissful darkness that was sleep. 'Oh Red Knight,' though the blond as her head was pounding with pain and the world around her seemed to spin. Her body felt strangely relaxed, what was a very sharp contrast to the sick feeling in her stomach.

Groaning slightly Elyon tried to shift her body around only to notice that despite the numb feeling in her arms the rest of her body felt incredibly soft. Her eyes slowly fluttered open, blinking several times to get used to the morning light falling through the open curtains. She noticed that something was lying below her, slight movements brushing up against her breasts and sending a very soft but likable tingle through her body.

Her mind still foggy Elyon tried to gather her situation, her thighs rubbing together for a short instance and it drew a sharp gasp from her. Something was pressing up against her core and her thighs felt very sticky. 'It.... couldn't have been that warm last night......,' thought Elyon, pretty sure that she couldn't have sweat enough to produce that much sweat.

Slowly she opened her eyes further, now used to the bright light. She noticed the sea of red hair right next to her and she was instantly aware that she had snuggled up to Will as always. Again feeling something velvet like rub against her bare skin Elyon was able to attribute it to the feeling of Will's ashen skin.

A new movement between her legs drew a short but sharp gasp from Elyon and she managed to raise her torso a bit and looked down.

With a strong blush rising to her cheeks Elyon saw the she had slept on top of Will and that both of them were only clad in their panties. Shocked, she also noticed how hers and Will's breasts were rubbing together, both of their nipples rock hard and touching each other.

Slowly a picture formed in Elyon's mind and dread filled her. 'No..... tell me...... tell me......' Looking down their bodies Elyon noticed in fear how Will's right leg was propped up and trapped between the heiress's milky thighs, rubbing against her labia with each movement.

'Please..... oh please tell me that I didn't do that in my sleep,' thought the girl desperately as she closed her eyes, drawing a sharp breath through her nose. The spicy scent that utterly filled the room destroyed all her hopes as she knew that scent oh so very well.

Falling back down Elyon buried her face in Will's hair in shame. 'I can't believe it...... I dry humped Will in my sleep...... and I did it strong enough to orgasm.... What if she was awake? OH Gods! What will she think of me?!'

Tears pooled in the girl's eyes as she slowly raised her head and her eyes fell on something that shocked her yet again. Right below her, where Will's neck melted into her shoulder Elyon saw a strange red mark. Looking closer her silvery eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. A love bite.

Very shakily Elyon's right hand came up and very softly her fingertips brushed over the marks that were clearly left by teeth. The same hand then rose to her lips as they parted and she softly traced her teeth. There was no mistake possible: SHE had left that mark on her servant.

Instantly Elyon shot up from her position and away from Will, bringing nearly 3 feet between their bodies. Elyon's normally pale skin was flushed and taking an interesting shade of red. Her eyes roamed her servant's and friend's body up and down several time, taking in her form and state of dress.

Elyon blushed even further as she saw the full size of Will's breast as well as that the young Drow in the past months had grown to be nearly the same size as the blond Elf herself. Self-consciously Elyon crossed her arms over her own breasts, shivering as her arms brushed over her still sensitive nipples.

The girl's eyes went lower and took in the Drow's smooth looking thighs as well as the red demipanties....... and the sticky spot on her right leg....... Burying her face in her hands Elyon didn't need to think twice before she realized WHAT that substance was.

Thoughts were swirling in her mind like crazy as she tried to think of something that would help her clear up this mess. 'I..... I need to get rid of the evidence.....' With that thought Elyon very carefully slipped off the bed and looked swiftly around the room for her robe. With a new blush she took notice of hers and Will's combined clothes being flung around randomly through the room and her mind supplied fitting images to what she thought might have happened.

Shaking those thoughts from her mind Elyon swiftly found her silvery robe and threw it on, tying it close very tightly. She started to slowly make her way towards the door, the sticky feeling between her legs utterly distracting her. 'First Will,' thought the girl as she slipped out of the room to get some water and a washrag.

Luckily Elyon encountered no one on her to the bathroom and she was able to retrieve a small bowl of warm water and a washrag and return to her room. Closing the door as silently as possible Elyon was swift to go about cleaning up her mess. Dipping the cloth into the warm water Elyon was carefully dipping away at Will's thigh, praying to all Gods that her young friend wouldn't wake up.

The red head muttered a few words in her sleep but the older Elf couldn't understand a word. As Elyon was cleaning up Will she saw something that caused a new blush to quickly seize her cheeks. Right below Will's leg was a big stain on her satin white sheets. Elyon didn't need to think much about it to know WHAT that was.

'Oh Red Knight, what have I done to deserve this humiliation?!' Elyon was close to bursting into tears as she finished up cleaning the mess she made. She placed the bowl of water and the washrag aside and stood up, looking down on Will yet again. Her face would be constantly red from now on as her mind traitorously burned the image of the nearly nude, sleeping Drow into her mind.

She looked so peaceful simply lying there, totally open to the world and displaying her body in such a way that it was so sinful yet beautiful to look at.

Elyon had to tear her eyes away from the other girl's toned body and she swiftly threw the covers over her to stop herself from ogling the red head.

Standing up Elyon became once again aware of her own sticky feeling between her thighs, not to mention her panties which cause such a friction that the poor heiress could feel her body heating up again. Her cheeks burning Elyon knew she had to get out of them or she might be overpowered by her lust. Bending over Elyon was swift to tear the flimsy clothe off her body but then she was faced with a new problem: what to do with the soaked article?

'I can't put it with my other clothes...... one of the servants will notice....... oh the humiliation it would cause......' Looking around desperately Elyon saw only one solution. Swiftly she snapped one of her pillows and stuffed the spicy smelling article into the pillow slip.

'I hope it works till I find a better solution,' thought Elyon as she placed the pillow back on the bed. She reveled in the now no longer existing friction between her legs and she drew a deep breath.

Finally her headache caught up with her and a new pounding filled her head painfully. '…...Ouch...... I need a bath......,' thought the girl as she slowly made her way outside of the room again. Within minutes she had submerged herself in the pool of the bathroom, her eyes slowly closing as she let her body relax into the hot water. She brushed her hands over her body, removing the sweat and.... other liquids that covered her chest and stomach.

She hesitated shortly before moving her hands lower and washing her thighs and vagina. A soft moan slipped past her lips as her fingers brushed over her still sensitive labia. Her head fell back on the edge of the pool, her eyes closed as the fingers of her left hand softly played around with her labia and clitoris. Her right hand softly brushed its way up her front until she cupped her left tit, her fingers sharply twisting the nipple.

A new moan escaped her mouth as she couldn't stop herself from masturbating.

A sole servant walked past the room and heard the sharp gasps from within the bathroom. The young girl's cheeks flushed as she could only think of one thing that would draw such sounds from another female and she was quick to walk away, leaving her young mistress alone and in private.

-----Destiny commands All-----

Will was breathing heavily, sweat running down her temples and jawbone. Her shirt was soaked with cold sweat and her hands gripped the handle of her sword tightly. She glared at her opponent who didn't even seem winded at all, lazily standing opposite of her.

'He is blocking anything I throw at him. And if he can't block he simply dodges around my sword by just enough to evade.... How can he keep doing it? How in Eilistraee's name can he so easily predict how I will attack?'

Switching the sword into her left hand Will changed her stance slightly, making sure to keep her balance and footing. Her opponent only raised a single eyebrow at that, secretly wondering what the heck she was planning in that devious little head of hers.

Suddenly Will burst forward, blade held diagonally over her chest. Just before reaching him she spun around to her left, using the momentum to increase the force of her blow.

He simply raised his own blade, the metal clashing and sparks flying from the friction. Will pushed with all her might, gritting her teeth as she put everything she had into the blow.

But he didn't give in, easily able to keep up with her strength. A smirk grew on his face and he clearly was about to throw a taunt at Will when he noticed the spark in the Drow's red eyes.

Without warning she let go of her sword, upsetting his balance and causing him to stumble forward. Spinning on the ball of her foot she turned right, catching the handle of her fallen blade in her right hand. Finishing the 360 degree turn she struck at his blade and the surprising move was enough to enable her to force the weapon out of his hand.

Twisting her sword around she pointed the tip at his throat, only a tenth of an inch from his skin.

Both combatants froze, Will panting heavily. He simply looked surprised for a moment before a small grin settled onto his face. "Well done Will, well done indeed."

"Huff...... thank you...... huff....... Raven........" Without further words Will dropped down, her sword falling onto the ground next to her as she fell back on her back, staring up at the blue sky.

Raven observed his student with a critical eye. He could see that something was bothering Will greatly and it must have happened after he left yesterday afternoon. While he was curious what caused his ward to suddenly be so vicious and determined he knew better than to ask. He had only asked her if something was wrong as soon as she had come for training, a slight flush on her cheeks and she sharply barked at him to mind his own business.

'.... Maybe it's just that time of the month.....,' thought Raven as he looked down on Will. Suddenly applause from the sidelines broke the silence and Hay and Cornelia stormed the ring, pulling Will to her feet and congratulating her. Hay wasn't able to stop gushing about the fight that had gone on for nearly a full hour. Cornelia was more on the silent side, focusing on healing the small tears in Will's muscles so the young Drow wouldn't feel too sore the next morning.

From the corner of his eyes he could see Irma walk up with a water skin that Will greedily accepted. At the far end of the corner sat Elyon, the Elf's eyes unfocused and staring into space. Closing his eyes Raven concentrated on his other senses, trying to figure out what he had missed.

The only thing he could hear was Will's hasted heartbeat; nothing out of the expected. There was no special taste in the air that he could perceive. He DID get a few strange vibes from Will and Elyon but both of their presences seemed to be rather synchronized. His nose though was running wild with impressions.

Elyon was smelling slightly of roses, statement that she had taken a long bath earlier but still there was something else about her smell. It was a spicy smell, sharp and soft at the same time with just a hint of sweetness. A very slight smirk played over his lips as he was rather easily able to figure out THAT scent. 'It seems like the proper heiress is no stranger to the pleasure of the flesh.'

Will's scent was dominated by the sweat that coated her in a thin layer. Below that was the briefest hint of mint and cumin, most likely the body lotion she had used. But then he noticed something that caused a slight frown to play over his features. The same spicy scent that lingered around Elyon...... also lingered in very soft waves around Will........

Raven's mind was spinning with theories as to WHY Will was smelling of Elyon's arousal. 'Taking into consideration how they behave right now...... I can rule out that they are 'fuck buddies'. It would have explained Elyon's protectiveness but with the way she can't look into Will's eyes it's very unlikely. The next possibility would be that Will, in some weird sense of duty, got Elyon off, probably without Elyon knowing but this time Elyon noticed........ that would explain the weird looks and distance but then Will would have smelled like this before and I can't recall that. That leaves...... the 'accident theory'..... and that is actually the most likely one.... Hormones are high and if they still sleep in one bed like Weira told me it is more than possible......'

He opened his eyes and sharply shook his head. 'What am I thinking about? It's not like Will is my lover or something. It's none of my business if her mistress is also her mistress in bed. What she does and with whom shouldn't concern me unless she seeks me out for advice.'

He observed silently how Will caught her breath, laughing with her friends. The slight crack that had been visible for the first day after Will reclaimed her senses had been mended easily by now.

Suddenly his mind returned to something he noticed in the fight. 'Is it my imagination...... or did Will use both of her hands ambidextrous without problems? Does that mean.......'

Rubbing his chin in deep thought his red eyes rested on Will's body, taking in all the changes she had gone through in the last months. 'Her movements have become even more smooth...... she walks more like a panthress than a humanoid being....... As always she doesn't do unneeded movements..... She's not wasting energy at all........ Maybe........'

Without a world the man slumped down on his ass, his right elbow resting on his knee and his chin on his fist. His eyes glanced over, taking a far away look.

The girls noticed how Raven seemed to space out totally from reality, his lips moving in silent words as he seemed to talk to himself. Suddenly his eyes focused again, his left hand reaching into his coat and producing a small scroll and some ink and pen. Totally ignoring anything and anyone he started to scribble on the scroll, muttering to himself under his breath. None of the girls dared to say anything as they watched him work for several minutes.

When he finally stopped scribbling he seemed to read over the scroll once more before rolling it up and rising to his feet. "Sorry. Cutting training short. I got some errands to run."

Jumping out of the small ring he landed on the dusty ground and without a break started to draw something into the ground. Taranee was the first to recognize a teleportation circle but the runes he was drawing into the ground were foreign to her. She had never seen such runes before and even though they looked to be of Dwarven origin they held few connections.

Stepping away from the circle array Raven started to chant lowly under his breath, his hands weaving Arcane symbols into the air. In a matter of minutes a portal opened above the circle, its edges blue and shimmering. Behind the portal the girls could see a vast snow tundra, no sign of life or civilization. Without a word Raven stepped into the portal that instantly collapsed behind him, a soft gale blowing through the yard erasing the circle.

The friends looked at each other. "Anyone know what that was about," muttered Hay lowly. They others simply shook their heads. "I have no idea but it seems like it was important to him," mumbled Cornelia, her mind spinning to try and figure out the person that was known as Raven.

"Let's forget about him," shouted Irma suddenly, clapping her hands once. "How about it: let's head to the spa that opened south of town and simply enjoy the rest of the day? It's just noon and the place should be rather empty." Hay grinned wide, her eyes dancing with joy, "Great idea Irma! I have been there once and the place is HUGE! Come on girls!" Grabbing Elyon's and Will's wrists she dragged them inside the house to gather their supplies. Irma was behind them in just a second.

Cornelia and Taranee exchanged smiles after they shook their heads. "Tell me, how did we get to be friends with such people again," mused Cornelia as the two slowly walked into the house. "They are just too much fun to be around to leave them alone," answered Taranee as the two searched for Weira, hoping the Sorceress could open them a portal home to speed up the item gathering.

-----Destiny commands All-----

Elyon softly eased her body into the steaming bath, clutching the towel around her body as she let out a sigh. 'Oh Red Knight...... this feels wonderful..... and the herbal essences are great.'

Taking a seat against the wall of the bath Elyon closed her eyes, her arms resting on the edge while her head fell backwards. Soft splashes were heard as Hay and Taranee, also only clad in a towel each stepped into the hot water. Hay had her hair pulled up into two buns on top of her head while Taranee was without her glasses. They took position left and right of Elyon, both sighing equally loud.

"How long has it been since we relaxed the last time," mumbled Taranee, closing her eyes as she sunk down to her chin into the water. "I think it was just after the last exams......," muttered Elyon, slowly undoing her braids and letting her waist long hair spill into the water.

"So, that was just shortly before you met Will," asked Hay, her eyes closed as she let her body float on the water.

"Sounds about right," toned a new voice and they all looked up, seeing Cornelia step into the water. Unlike the other three the young Druidess was stark nude. A small giggle came from Hay while Taranee could only sigh. "Seriously Cornelia, why do you NEVER wear anything in a spa?"

"What is the point," asked the Blond, splashing the hot watter onto her chest to get used to it. "Besides, it's not like it's anything you haven't seen before and we are all girls here."

"Not to mention that you think that it would be a waste of beauty if you hid your Nature given body," shouted Irma as she just rounded the corner form the changing room. The young Ranger was nude as well, her towel thrown around her neck and just long enough to cover up her nipples.

Elyon only groaned, "Why is it that all you nature people just want to be nude all the time?" The Ranger only smirked as she let her body slide into the water, "Maybe it's you town folks that are just too prudish. Besides, you have known me and Corny long enough to no longer be bothered by it."

'It's not you two I am worried about,' thought Elyon, her tongue slightly wetting her lips.

"So it's okay to remove the towel," came Will soft voice from ahead and the rustling of cloth made Elyon dread what her eyes would see next.

"WOW! Will, you are really starting to fill out!" Hay's shout caused everyone to look up at Will.

The young Drow was just making her way into the water and all eyes were running up and down her body. Irma let out a respectful whistle. "Not bad Will. You've come a long way. You will soon be a real stunner."

Will smiled slyly as she eased her body into the hot water, the heat raising a slight red onto her cheeks. Elyon's cheeks flushed scarlet and she swiftly turned away from Will. Her eyes fell on Hay, Irma and Cornelia. The three girls were clearly checking out Will, Irma was even looking down at her own breasts with a slight frown.

"Seriously Will, what are you doing to your boobs? In a few months you have gone from flat as a board to nearly as big as Corne-" a splash of water into her face cut off Irma's rant. "CORNY!!"

"Irma, you are starting to behave like the boys back in Ceredale," frowned Cornelia. "WHAT YOU MEAN WITH THAT," snapped Irma loudly while she glared at the Druidess.

"Back home the boys our age have also started to compare and they are truly and utterly obsessed with it," said Cornelia in a neutral voice while blushes rose on Elyon's, Taranee's, Hay's and Irma's cheeks. Only Will seemed to be unaffected by it. The young Drow sat on the edge of the small pool, her legs lazily floating through the water while she had her upper body leaned back, her outstretched hands behind her keeping her stable.

The other five could only stare at the admittedly erotic show that Will involuntarily put on for them.

The slight drops of water slowly running down her dark skin seemed to flow in slow motion as they all five traced their paths. One drop had just fallen from her hair onto her shoulder and was very slowly running down her collar bone.

The drop started to reach the swell of her left breast before picking up a bit speed as it rolled down the soft mound of flesh, only being stopped by her dark gray nipple.

The bundle of nerves was visibly growing hard as the rather cold drop touched it and it caused Will to give a slight moan.

Throats went dry as the drop moved around the dark gray obstacle and descended down over Will's stomach, shortly gathering in her belly button before it continued it's path down.

Elyon could only stare as the little, innocent drop of water ran further down Will's toned abs and then......

Elyon wanted to slap her hands over her eyes but her body was frozen as her mind burned the image of that little drop finally disappearing into the neatly trimmed red bush of hair that was visible between the Drow's oh so slightly parted legs.

No one spoke for some time in which Will was blissfully unaware of the eyes that were roaming over her body. Only one of them was able to form an actual logical thought. 'Well, at least now we know that she is truly a natural red head,' thought Taranee amusedly to herself as she was able to accept that in a way she found Will..... 'hot' for the lack of a better term. While Will did undoubtedly look drop dead sexy the way she displayed her body there was something else, just waiting under the surface.

A wet SPLAT sound broke the silence and also caused Will to open her eyes. Hay had thrown her wet towel off, and was floating on her back, her arms and legs spread.

With a slight giggle Will observed her friend and unconsciously took notice that while Hay was still a slender girl in the past months she had grown a nice handful of soft female flesh. But then a more serious thought entered her mind and her red eyes turned to the Druidess without anyone noticing.

'What would the chance be that she would actually agree to it? While her upbringing would make her the perfect choice..... her character makes it possible that she would be offended by the very intention....... Am I willing to chance her friendship..... for a single night?'

Her thoughts seemed to drift for a long while. She only came back to the present due to a splash of water that washed over her. Looking up the scene made her smirk.

Hay and Irma were wrestling in the water, with Irma trying to get a decent grasp on the sneaky Rogue; not that the eastern girl's slippery skin made it any easier.

"ONE MORE COMMENT ABOUT MY BREASTS BEING THE SMALLEST COMPARED TO THE OTHERS!! JUST ONE MORE!!!" "Oh Irma, I am sure they will grow in the coming years," smiled Taranee, leaning back and watching the show with half-lidded eyes.

Elyon had her gaze buried in her hands, trying to block out the shouts that filled the spa. Cornelia was watching the whole scene with a slight smile tugging at her lips.

"Shut it Snake Eyes," hissed Irma, using a name for Taranee that the young Wizard HATED with a passion. It was obvious what Taranee thought as her eyes narrowed to slits and Will could feel the slight trace of Arcane Might build up around the other girl.

Snipping away at the waters surface once Taranee mouthed a few words of power. Will watch as two drops of water turned into ice shards, pointed and sharp. With perfect aim the shards flew towards Irma and impacted with dead accuracy.

Irma let out a pained cry as the two icicle projectiles pierced into her sensitive nipples. "TARANEE!!!" Irma instantly sunk into the hot water, hoping the warmth would get rid of the pain.

The Wizard only leveled a cold glare on the girl, "You know how much I loath that name and yet you used it; you deserve what you got." "That was harsh Taranee," muttered Hay as she looked at Irma with pity. The young Rogue herself herself had been target of that particular cantrip Taranee one day came up with and she remembered that her nipples had been sensitive for days afterwards. And that happened before they all hit puberty.

Cornelia and Will couldn't help but laugh softly at the Ranger's misfortune. Elyon was slightly shocked by Taranee's usage of one of the most basic spells.

Irma was cupping her breasts, her thumbs and index fingers rubbing her nipples in hopes of getting some warmth back into the freezing nerves. "Give it up," said Taranee coldly, "The ice shards are stuck under your skin and will only slowly melt. Maybe that will teach you to think before you speak in the future."

Irma started to banter back and forth with Taranee, all the time rubbing her breasts in hope to stop the chill from spreading but Will wasn't paying attention at all. Her mind was back on the question at hand and wondering if she should chance it.

Minutes passed in which the world just rushed by Will before she came to a conclusion. Taking a deep breath she turned to the girl. "Cornelia..... could I have a word with you in private?" The blond Druidess was the only one hearing Will speak her request because by now Hay was dead set on 'helping' Irma with her problem and causing the Ranger to now run from the Rogue.

Cornelia simply nodded as the two left the main pool and headed for one of the extra hot ones that were a bit away from the others. The Blond only wondered why Will seemed to be so nervous.... and at the same time excited.......

-----Destiny commands All-----

And cut. That's it for today.

Now what in Ao's name is our favorite red head up to now that she needs Cornelia's help? Also it seems like Raven AGAIN got something crazy up his sleeves.... Will he ever stop pulling crazy shit out of his ass? Will it influence Will?

More questions and even less answeres..... *sighs* Will this madness ever end? I Sure Hope Not!

Until next month and this time on schedule.... though i might be able to pull a Holiday special off...... but no promises so don't hold your breath for it.

- Nelo Akuma


	18. Nightly Talks

Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen and welcome to the next chapter.

I wish you a happy new year and in retrospect happy holidays (whatever you are/have been celebrating).

Today we finally find out what Will asked of Cornelia last time and what our cute redhead cooked up in that devious little head of hers. Not much else to say today.

Thanks for reviewing go out to **XV-Dragon**(I am still waiting for the next Shunned One chapter.....), **Rain Addict CM** and **Baran3.**

**IMPORTANT NOTE:** after the chapter there is a request for aid, please read it and if you can help give me a ring.

On With The Show.

-----Destiny commands All-----

Cornelia was in her room, sitting on her bed with her legs drawn up to her chest and arms around her legs. 'Why..... why did she have to ask me? Why couldn't she ask someone else?!'

Her chin was resting on her kneecaps and even in the dim light of dusk one could easily make out the soft trails of tears that ran down her cheeks. Her eyes were moving through her room, taking in the natural look of her room, trying to take her mind off her problems.

The room was round, molded in the same way as the large tree it was placed in. there was no door leading into her room, only the wound stairs that led upwards from the floor below. One third of the wall, directly opposite of her bed. The bed itself was also part of the tree, shaped more like a hollowed out log with a mattress. On the right of the room was a large window, letting the soft rays of the moon into the room. On the left was a simple table and chair, some research left on the table days ago.

'It's just not fair...... why me? Why not..... Elyon..... or Hay........ WHY ME?!' Her shoulders started to shake as new tears rolled down her cheeks, soft sobs passing through her lips now and then.

So absorbed was the girl that she never noticed the shadow that moved up her stairs.

"Cornelia dear?"

The girl's head shot up so fast her neck should have snapped. Her sky blue eyes met with the crystal blue of her mother. The elder woman's face was filled with worry at the tear covered face of her daughter.

"Honey..... what is wrong with you? For two weeks you haven't been yourself.....," spoke Elizabeth softly, sitting down on the edge of her daughter's bed. Cornelia visibly flinched as her mother sat down and reached for her. Elizabeth let her hand drop, her eyes downcast.

"I... I am sorry...... I thought..... I think I should just go n-" "NO!"

Cornelia reached out, clutching onto her mother's arm in desperation. Their blue eyes met and Elizabeth saw the great turmoil that filled her daughter. "It's not you! It's..... complicated...... and I know that it makes no sense at all...... But..... but....."

A soft finger covered her lips and she could feel how her mother placed an arm around her. "Shush. Everything is okay....." "No it's not! Nothing is okay! It shouldn't bother me! It should be easy!"

Elizabeth pulled her daughter closer, pressing Cornelia's face into her nape to let her daughter cry out her fears and pain. "Take your time darling...... take your time......" "I don't have time mom...... I have no time..... I have to answer by tomorrow......."

Elizabeth slowly pulled away, watching how her daughter brushed away her tears. She wouldn't press the other blond for details, waiting to see if her daughter would continue.

"It was nearly two weeks ago, the day I went to the spa with the others. We had a great time all in all but then..... Will came to me with a request. She asked me aside, clearly nervous about what she wanted to ask. I saw nothing wrong with it so we left for the steam bath. Of course... neither of us was actually wearing anything..... but it didn't bother either of us. It was just..... natural. I thought I was over it by now..... that I just could go on....."

Elizabeth couldn't help but flinch on the inside as her daughter brought up that incident. She wanted to help her daughter but the elder Druidess still had no idea what this was all about so she tried to control herself and simply listen.

"At first we did some light talking, just getting used to the steam bath. We talked about random things: school, the upcoming Arcane Thunder, even Raven and what he might be hiding from all of us..... But then Will got all silent and fidgety.... then she slowly started to ask me...... to......" Cornelia's voice broke there for a bit, but not from tears this time. Elizabeth could see the scarlet red blush on her daughters face and that alone made her wonder what this was all about. Normally this color only entered the shorter blond's face when she had a particularly 'nice' dream about a certain brunette.

"Will.... she asked for help..... she feels that she is..... off balance within herself. She said that lots of things happened that she just can't place. She asked me to participate in a ritual for her deity, hoping that it would help her find her center again. I was swift to agree; after all what could that ritual be? Will though told me that I shouldn't agree so easily without knowing what the ritual was about......"

Elizabeth started to see a pattern. Rituals for a deity could involve many things, from simple meditation to bloodbaths. But she doubted that Will had found consolation with one of the violent Deities. "Honey.... who is Will's chosen Deity?" The elder Druidess knew most rituals associated with the more prominent Deities of Fearûn.

The way Cornelia's jaw tightened for a second coupled with the slight tensing of her shoulders told Elizabeth that what came next would be the core of the problem. "The Dark Maiden...... Lady of the Dance......"

Elizabeth's breath caught in her throat as she breathed the name, "Eilistraee." Cornelia nodded softly, her forehead resting on her knees. Now Elizabeth understood WHAT bothered her daughter. She knew of the rituals done in the name of the Dark Maiden. She knew while they were nothing short of serene and beautiful to watch they also required to be were much at peace with yourself. Then something else hit the Druidess.

Her daughter had said that she had to give her answer tomorrow..... and tomorrow was the day of the full moon. And only one ritual required the light of the full moon: The Dance of the Moon Sword. Elizabeth swallowed, knowing exactly what this ritual included. "Cornelia.... has she explained to you this ritual?"

The younger blond shook her head slightly, "She didn't go into details..... all she said was that the ritual requires us to be nude..... as well as that we might get into close contact......"

Elizabeth first stared at her daughter, her face blank and a bit shocked. When a smirk then broke out on her face things went from tense to bizarre. Elizabeth couldn't help but start chuckling slightly which earned her a glare from her daughter. "DON'T LAUGH AT ME MOM!!"

She could see the pain and anger in her daughter's eyes and was swift to reach out, pulling the shorter blond against her bosom. "Oh Darling. I am not laughing at you. It's just..... you friend hasn't really explained the ritual to you and you haven't read much more into it than you should."

Laying back down on the bed she pulled her daughter on top of her, laying Cornelia's head on her left breast like she did when her little bear was but a toddler. Slowly stroking the long blond locks she spoke, "The ritual your friend wants to do is most likely the Dance of the Moon Sword as I highly doubt she would want to do the Last Dance as she is but a child. But that is a story for another night. The Dance of the Moon Sword is different from most other rituals you might know. It's a two part ritual: the first is a sword fight with the exception that both combatants are using the Moonsword, a Bastard Sword. Between Drow this 'battle' is done with both combatants either nude or with an old battle harness used by the subterrannean Drow."

"As I doubt your friend actually has access to such a harness it would end up with both of you being nude. The fight itself is less of a fight but a dance. While you do try to overpower your opponent it is not a true fight. The fight itself usually takes place in a moonlight filled glade, sometimes within a small circle marked by so called Moonshards. They are small gems that are very common around entrances to the Underdark. They can absorb the moonlight and store it, acting often enough as lanterns in Underdark cities."

"After one of the combatants has been beaten the second part starts: the dancing. To be honest, the dance would be a very sensual one. Both participants are still nude or wearing the harness; they only discard their swords. The dance itself is something that comes by instinct, slow and sensual with lots of skin contact. Like two... lovers for the lack of a better term. And if the dance is between two very close people it often results in.... ahem..... more.... 'fleshly' actions afterwards....."

Both blonds had slight blushes rising to their cheeks as the elder Druidess finished her last sentence. "You see Honey, there is nothing to be afraid of. While the ritual is clearly.... intimate and requires a great deal of self-confidence it is nothing to be afraid of. But you have to make the decision if you are comfortable with doing this."

Elizabeth could feel how her daughter had relaxed while she explained the ritual. Obviously the younger Druidess had expected something more intimate or 'forbidden' and she was happy she had been able to set her daughter's thoughts straight.

Both slowly sat up on the bed and Elizabeth used her sleeve to brush away the remains of Cornelia's tears. "Now, you should get some sleep; if you truly wish to help your friend you will need your strength tomorrow night." Brushing a kiss over her daughter's lips the woman hugged her one last time before she left her to her thoughts.

Cornelia couldn't help but feel more safe now before stripping and curling up in her bed. Pulling the covers over her head she let out a deep sigh, closing her eyes and letting sleep claim her.

-----Destiny commands All-----

It was the dead of the night that found Will nervously leaning against the large stone signpost outside of Metamoora's walls. Dressed in her usual shirt-skirt-stockings-coat combination she was well hidden in the shadows of the night. While her Longsword rested comfortably on her left hip her right hip held two more sword sheathes, only that those two were a good deal bigger.

Will had her arms rested on the handles of the swords, fingers twiddling around. Her eyes were moving left and right, searching for any movement. While she was still close to the city she had no doubt that a few bold predators were only waiting for someone to get careless.

A few twigs snapping in the distance cause Will to slowly reach for her sword, her fingers closing softly around the handle and drawing it just an inch from its sheath. Concentrating on the sound Will heard a few more twigs snap, louder than before. Who or whatever was moving on her far right wasn't being too careful if they made a noise.

Without turning her head Will observed the road and edge of the woods from the corner of her eye, pupils widening to take in more light. The full moon peaked from behind a large cloud, sending soft light onto the earth and making it easier for Will to see.

Noticing that the source of the noise was a being walking on two feet as well as a long sea of blond hair Will let out a deep breath, letting go of her sword. "Please don't sneak up on me like that Cornelia."

A slight giggle came as her answer, "Not like I was actually trying to sneak up on you Will." Will moved and met Cornelia half way, both falling into a slightly tense silence. Finally a small smile broke free on Will's face, "Thank you for coming."

Cornelia simply waved her off, "Don't thank me, thank my mom. She explained this whole thing to me. From what you were willing to tell me I was getting all kind of ideas." Will had the decency to giggle in an embarrassed manner, her left index finger softly scratching her cheek, "Yes, I was a bit vague.... but in my defense I myself didn't know the full truth behind the ritual back then....."

A new silence fell between them before Cornelia grew tired of it. "Enough stalling. I know you prepared something so let's get this thing started. I have no idea how long it will take and I need my sleep."

Will couldn't help but take the opening, "Beauty sleep? Even sleeping for decades wouldn't help you." "WHY YOU!!!" Will ran down the road, laughing slightly while Cornelia gave chase, face red in a mix of anger and embarrassment.

Without noticing it Will was already steering them towards their destination, soon leaving the road and heading into the woods.

Not short after the girls disappeared into the bushes a shadow detached itself from under a tree. Clearly humanoid in shape the beings eyes flashed abysmal red for a moment. 'Soon child...... soon......'

-----Destiny commands All-----

And Cut.

Yes, I know it is a very short chapter but I had to cut it here and the reason 'why' ties into my request a few lines down.

So, finally we know WHAT Will asked of Cornelia... Well, it surely wasn't your every day request.... and who is this new shadow?! I mean seriously! How many more people are just going to pop up with an interest for Will? Give the girl a break! She got a whole tournament to prepare for. As well as a not so easy life.

*sighs* No use crying over it.

**Important Request:** As many of you might have figured by how this chapter ended the next chapter will have the Dance of the Moon Sword and for that I need someone who can to the dancing part. I have tried for the last weeks to do a decent dancing scene but.... let's face it: I SUCK are writing such stuff. Add in a sword and I can work something out but pure dancing, especially the kind i have hinted at, are beyond my capability. **So if you can write dancing scenes (even if only in catchwords) or know someone who can do it I would HIGHLY appreciate it if you contacted me. **

Until the next time, I wish you farewell.

- Nelo Akuma


	19. Moonlight

Good day Ladies and Gentlemen.

It's been a hard month writing this down and more than once I scrapped it all together and started anew. But finally I got it done in a way i am happy with.

Some may remember that last time I asked for help and here I want to thank you. (I am not naming people as I fear I will forget someone). But with this chapter I learned something very important: I cannot write a dance scene to save my ugly hide unless in involves ANY kind of weapon. Give each person a weapon and I can write on and on and on an- you get the idea, right?

Today... well, clearly we are going to resolve the encounter between Will and Cornelia; what else COULD I do after the end of the last chapter? To be fair though I hand out a waring: some pieces of this chapter might cross into the realm of Angst. I have gone there before with a few sidesteps but this time I might be pushing the comfort level of a few of you. In my defense... actually: screw it. I don't need to defend myself for this as it also explains some actions of a character that I have been asked about.

I want to thank the following people for reviewing as well as being general supports: **my brother in all but blood**, **Baran3**, **XV-Dragon**, **WolfDragonGod,** **Rain Addict CM** and **ladygoddess8.**

Anyway, you didn't click the link to see me rant but to read on so off you go green grasshoppers.

PS: It has been brought to my attention that someone (I believe in the policy "Don't name to shame") has created a..... ficlette based on this story. Some may have already seen it (only a few newer entries in the M-rated filter) and a few even went so far to question me about it. I say it once and only once: **I have no hand whatsoever in that work, nor does it hold any truth to what will happen in this story.** It's the work of a fellow writer who just took my idea and ran off with it cackling madly (no offense meant ;) ).

-----Destiny commands All-----

Will was laughing hard in her mind while her lips only displayed a slight smirk. Cornelia was still giving chase but by now any kind of anger was forgotten and it was all in good fun.

While the Druidess knew the woods like the back of her hands Will was very much used to moving through foreign terrain, leading to the young Drow being constantly able to evade the Human.

As the two broke through the bushes into a small clearing the full moon peeked past the clouds again, illuminating the soft grassy area.

Cornelia came to an abrupt stop as she stared at the.... beautiful scenery before her.

The moon light bathed the clearing in soft white light, the trees throwing large shadows towards its center. The grass was littered with small glowing pieces, causing the shadows to look like the starlit sky above them.

In the center of the clearing, where no shadow reached, were none of those glowing spots but a circle of larger lights separated it from the shadow area.

Slowly Cornelia followed Will as the Drow made her way to the circle, careful not to step on any of those glowing pieces after she saw that indeed those were small glowing stone shards. 'Must be those Moonshards mom talked about,' mused the Druidess as looked around, drinking in the serene feeling.

Then she remembered something that she had wanted to ask Will. "Uhm.... Will? Not to sound impatient but.... do you have two of those swords?"

The Drow giggled slightly at Cornelia's shy question. "Of course I do." brushing back her coat Will took the two swords from her right hip, holding one out for Cornelia to take.

The blond swallowed dryly. She had never as much held a Short Sword, not to mention a Bastard Sword. Reaching out with both hands she expected the item to weight quite a bit but..... Cornelia was utterly surprised how light the weapon was. "Will," she questioned lowly as she carefully pulled the blade from its sheath.

Will rubbed her neck in what seemed to be embarrassment, "Do you really think I have the gold for not only one but TWO Bastard Swords? While I get some pocket money from Weira and Zaden it wouldn't be enough for two swords. They aren't really functional swords. While the handles are the real deal the blade is made of wood with a thin metal coating. They wouldn't stand a single chance against the real deal. Though don't get too careless: the metal was sharpened slight so they should be able to leave shallow cuts or nasty welds."

Cornelia nodded silently. It made sense after all: no need to place them in real danger for this, is there? She observed how Will walked to the edge fo what she assumed was their 'arena' before the Drow began to strip.

Cornelia couldn't help herself as slowly her cheeks colored slightly red. The way Will was shrugging off her clothes had something sensual yet....

Shacking her head sharply Cornelia turned away, stepping to the opposite edge of the ring from Will and began to discard her clothes herself.

Silence fell over them as both teens stripped down naked, the slightly chilly air raising goose bumps on their fair skin. Cornelia shivered as she pulled off her tunic and the nightly air brushed over her bound breasts. Rubbing her arms in an attempt to get warmer Cornelia's teeth began to clatter for a moment. Glancing over her shoulders she saw with shock that Will was already bare down to her waist and right now was slowly removing her stockings.

The young Drow didn't seem too bothered by the cold at all. It seemed more like with each article of clothing she shed she became more at ease. Feeling a hint of competition rise within her Cornelia swiftly reached behind her to undo her bindings. The white cotton dropped to the floor in a heap as Cornelia brushed her hands over her breasts. Closing her eyes for a moment she enjoyed the cool breeze that blew over her breasts.

Will by now was totally nude, her clothes neatly folded in a stack. Placing her Longsword carefully on her clothes she traced the purple sheath for a few seconds, her eyes seemingly glowing softly in the night. Shaking those thoughts from her mind she started to stretch a bit; in no way would she risk pulling a muscle.

Standing straight Will leaned forward and down, her fingertips first brushing over her toes before she managed to plant her palms flat on the ground. She could feel her vertebra popping a bit while her muscles slowly stretched in preparation. She could feel a special sting in her knee bend, telling her that any more bending and she would risk some torn ligaments.

Slowly bringing her torso up again she moved to bend backwards, soon forming a perfect backwards bridge. Her stomach muscles gave a very slight sting before she kicked off with her feet, going into a perfect handstand.

Bending her arms slowly she lowered herself until her forehead touched the grass and held herself there for a few moments. A single drop of sweat dropped from her nose and she could feel the muscles of her arms slowly starting to protest at the unnatural position. Straightening her arms again Will moved back into a handstand before her legs did a slow split sideways. Her body was forming a perfect 'T' that she again held for a few seconds before closing her legs again.

Slowly she lowered her legs forward until her toes brushed over the grass. A small push with her arms and a slight hop later Will was standing upright again. Her cheeks were red from the gathered blood but she felt better now, her muscles prepared.

Looking up Will saw a stunned Cornelia gaping at her with wide eyes. "What's the matter," asked the young Drow as she slowly looked over Cornelia's body. Will had to admit that the Human was beautiful. Not an ounce of fat on her body she was a slender but at the same time... 'soft' looking growing woman. Wide hips, a nice handful of butt, a toned stomach, perfectly sized and perky breasts. Will could see why no little number of boys were after the Druidess.

Cornelia in turn had turned around just in time to observe Will's stretching and the sight had the female stunned. She herself was no slouch when it came to stretching or slight aerobics but what Will had just displayed was... astonishing. "Will..... how can you do this all..... without hurting yourself," muttered the blond as she still had her eyes fixed on Will.

The Drow simply shrugged, "It's not really a big deal, is it? I just go as far as I can without hurting me." Shaking her head a bit Cornelia slowly picked up the sword and pulled it fully from its sheath. The 'weapon' was plain, no single decoration or even a smiths signature. "Seriously Will, if I didn't know better I would have said you were a contortionist. They way you can bend..... it's painful to even watch it."

Will simply waved her off as it was no big deal to her. She had always been very flexible and after getting some actual training and movements shown she started to test the boundaries of her body each day. "Come on, the night won't last forever."

Both girls stood opposite of each other, each gripping with both hands onto their swords. Both tested stances, slight movements and thrusts to get a slight feel for the foreign weapon. It came surprisingly easy for Will, feeling little to no difference to wielding her Longsword. Sure, the center of gravitation was a bit different and the longer reach was new as well but else she felt confident that she could use a Bastard Sword in a real fight should need be.

Cornelia had a bit more trouble. She was used to fluent and flowing movements with her scythe, not to mention a larger area where she could actually grasp her weapon. 'I will not be able to use ANY of my maneuvers,' thought the girl bitterly and made a note in the back of her mind to ask her mother for some lessons in swords. Sure, she loved her scythe and the way she could dance together with her weapon but this very night showed the Druidess that she might not always have the option to use her favorite weapon.

"Cornelia: before we start I want us to decide a save-word, just in case one of us wants to bow out or has real trouble," muttered Will as both girls mentally prepared themselves. Cornelia nodded, understanding why such a thing could be useful, "What do you propose?"

Will closed her eyes in thought, trying to think up a easily spoken word that normally wouldn't fall in any conversation. When she opened her eyes she had found a word that would normally NEVER come up between most people, "Iejir."

Cornelia felt a slight shiver move over her skin as she heard the harsh and sharp word leave the soft Drow's lips. "Iejir? What kind of word is that?" Will couldn't help but scratch her left cheek with her index finger in embarrassment, "Well.... it's draconian for 'blood'. I thought it was.... kind of fitting as well as swiftly spoken and I am pretty sure it wouldn't come up in banter or taunts......"

Cornelia could only shake her head softly but she could see reason in Will's words. "Not like I have any better idea. ….So …... shall we begin?"

Will's lips formed a small smile while she nodded. Gripping the hands with both hands while pushed her left leg forward, making sure to have a solid stance before she raised her weapon, bringing it parallel to the ground while holding it at shoulder height. It was a new stance and series of Katas Raven had taught her just a few days ago and while it pretty much telegraphed what she would do to her enemy from miles away it was a style of power and strength. Seeing that she had little to no actual practice with the style she found it fair to use it against Cornelia.

Cornelia had chosen the tradition stance of all two-handed sword fighting. Pushing her right leg forward for a secure stance she held the sword vertically in front of her body, both hands holding the handle tightly. The style was mediocre in all aspects but was also the most common one. It had no real strengths but at the same time no real weaknesses either.

"You shouldn't grip the handle so tightly," muttered Will as she slowly slipped into something Raven called 'Battle Mode'. "You grip it too tightly and you could shatter your wrist when you block a strong blow." Cornelia instantly relaxed her grip slightly, shocked that even in the slight twilight Will could make out this much. Then she pretty much wanted to slap herself: Will was a Drow. Even Elves were known to see rather well in twilight compared to a Human but Drow could see in utter darkness if need be.

And it was true that Will's mind had silently commanded her eyes to 'switch' into Darkvision. While all she now saw was only black and white it was still much more detailed than what Cornelia could see. And it was not like Will need to full color spectrum to fight anyway.

Silence fell between the two, not a single word was spoken as both fighters seized each other up. A small breeze blew through the clearing and a cloud moved in front of the moon, casting darkness into the clearing. But thanks to the Moonshards Cornelia could still see well enough to notice when Will started to try and circle her.

She moved to counter that, circling after Will slowly.

They both simply moved to keep the other one in front of herself while also hoping to get into a better position themselves.

Their breaths shallowed out as their muscles began to tense slightly, preparing to spring into motion any second.

Neither of them was willing to do the first move, as the one who moved first was often the loosing one in this kind of battles. Their eyes were constantly moving up and down the others body, trying to catch even the slightest twitch of muscles. But for Cornelia this also proofed to be slightly..... distracting. As soon as her blue eyes dipped below Will's waist to swiftly glance at her legs and feet she always found herself staring longer than she should at the small triangle of red hair.

Her battle instincts were screaming at her in rage that she could be distracted so easily most rational thought had long since given way to battle teachings and a mix of anxiety and, to Cornelia's embarrassment, arousal.

Will herself was also keeping a close eye on Cornelia's body language but unlike the Druidess Will wasn't the slightest distracted by the naked body before her. Will could make out every single detail of Cornelia's body with ease and while her mind stored the image of the naked Druidess away for later reference or use it didn't impact the slightest on Will's battle instincts. True, Will admitted easily that under other circumstances she would actually enjoy having her eyes roam the Druidess' body but her Blood was swiftly making her focus on the battle at hand and not on the soft skin in front of her.

Finally Cornelia couldn't take it anymore and lunged forward, striking with her sword in a diagonal line.

Will was swift to react, taking a step forward herself. The swift action caused Cornelia to miscalculate her swing. Will easily moved her sword a bit, deflecting Cornelia's blow harmlessly.

But instead of striking herself Will lashed out with her right hand, throwing an open palm strike towards Cornelia's chest.

The Druidess was shortly shocked before she just barely managed to twist her upper body sideways, felling Will's strike miss her right breast just barely. Gritting her teeth Cornelia continued her spinning motion, using the momentum to take a heavy strike towards Will's torso.

Will's eyes widened shortly as her left let go of the handle. Pressing her arm tightly against the flat side of the blade she held the sword tip down to block the undoubtedly strong blow of Cornelia.

The two weapons met with a dull clang and the force of the blow pushed Will back, her feet sliding over the grass.

Cornelia's arms shook from the sudden halt but still pressed on with all her strength. Will in turn was unwilling to give in, throwing her whole weight against Cornelia.

For several seconds both girls tried to overpower the other, glaring at each other sharply. Suddenly a spark entered Will's eyes that made Cornelia nervous for some reason.

Without a warning Will suddenly ducked low, tugging her whole body into a ball and rolling forward. Cornelia instantly stumbled froward, having nothing to keep her back. Trying to keep her balance she attempted to use her sword as a walking cane as she was used to do with her Scythe. Instantly the blade sunk half way into the soft ground, letting Cornelia fall to her knees.

Will by now was crouched on her feet behind Cornelia, quickly spinning on her ball of her left foot. She held her sword solely in her right hand, using the centripetal force to build up strength as she swung her weapon at the Druidess.

The blond heard the sound of something moving swiftly through the air and instincts kicked in. Throwing her legs out behind her she managed to hit Will square in the stomach half way. Smirking Cornelia thrust back with all her strength, throwing Will away while also stunning the girl for a second. Swiftly getting back to her feet Cornelia pulled with all her strength on her weapon and managed to free it from the ground. Deciding that stalling was the best option right now she jumped away from Will, soon turning to face the red head and going back into her basic stance.

Will had been harshly thrown backwards from Cornelia's unexpected move. In the very back of her mind she noticed that the move was very similar to what Raven had done when he had been in her mind..... With the difference that Cornelia's kicks actually hurt; a lot. All the air had been forced from her lungs and it came so sudden that Will's fingers slipped from around the sword.

She fell backwards and skidded over the grass for a moment, feeling small gashes torn into her back. Ignoring the stinging sensations Will pulled her legs close, using the speed to swiftly roll over her shoulder into a low crouch, keeping her body steady with both her hands on the ground.

Looking up Will could see Cornelia further away, preparing herself for the next attack. Their eyes met for a swift moment before both looked down.

Right in the middle between them lay Will's sword. Their eyes shot up and met again, both filled with realization and determination.

'I got to get it back fast.'

'I can't allow her to get it back.'

Instantly both girls lunged forward. Sweat was gathering on their foreheads. Will saw that Cornelia would reach the center first but instead of going faster she slowed down just a bit.

Cornelia, seeing that she would reach the sword first, grinned. Bending down closer to the ground she thrust her sword forward like a spear, trying to force Will to abandon her plan. But what happened made Cornelia stare dumbstruck.

Instead of dodging left or right..... Will leaped forward! Everything seemed to slow down as Cornelia saw how Will barely managed to ascend higher than the Druidess' sword, flying over the whole blade and her arm before the red head ducked her upper body into a roll.

Will's eyes were focused on the blade in the grass, her mind rushing to make not a single mistake in her calculations. Tugging her body into a roll her right hand reached downward. Very slowly her finger tips brushed over the handle before they snapped close.

Feeling the secure grip on the handle Will forced her arm down, rolling over it and using it to cushion her impact on the ground. Swiftly rolling from her arm, over her shoulder onto her back she used the momentum to get back to her feet instantly. She swiftly took two steps forward before spinning around facing Cornelia.

The blond was just barely getting out of her shock when her instincts screamed at her to dodge. Leaping forward she felt something swiftly pass through her long hair and even a very slight sting on her lower back. Ignoring the small bang of pain Cornelia moved to her left, planting her hand flat on the ground to reduce her tropic.

Will cursed in her mind as saw Cornelia dodge nearly without a scratch except for that very thin cut down her back. Suddenly she saw how the blond's blade rushed at her from the left and her blood started to act.

Still moving forward from her last attack Will threw her legs out forward, leaning back as far as she could. Sadly it was not far enough and Cornelia landed a long cut over the Drow's right cheek. But that was a little price to pay in Will's mind.

Cornelia could only stare as Will skidded under her sword, taking the minor wound without a flinch. Suddenly Will was right in front of her. Cornelia could feel something hook with her left leg before something pressed sharply against her pelvic. A sharp gasp escaped the blond as she felt something suddenly push up between her thighs and harshly impacting with her pubic area.

Her left leg was pulled from under her and coupled with the other things it threw her back. Instinctively she released the sword in her right hands and threw both arms backwards to stop her impact on the ground. But then something pressed her right shoulder down and she back slammed rather harshly into the ground. Her world spun for a moment before she felt a sharp pressure on her skin where throat melted into chest.

As her world stopped spinning Cornelia looked up and saw Will's sword poised to pierce into the base of her throat. She was beat.

Will's breath was coming fast as she pinned Cornelia down with her free left hand, her right arm holding the sword just an inch above the Druidess' throat. Her right thigh pressed down on what was below it to ensure the blond couldn't wriggle out of this. A drop of sweat fell from her chin and landed on Cornelia's chest as she adjusted her thigh to get a better hold of the girl below her.

But this very movement elicited a soft moan from the blond and caused Will to look down and find out what she was pinning.

The smooth and warm skin of the Human below her felt nice against her own ashen skin but the warmth was more than she expected. Will's red eyes widened a bit as she saw how she pressed her thigh roughly against..... Cornelia's vulva.

The clear and telltale spicy sweet scent that slowly started to fill the Drow's nostrils first confused and then froze her in place as she realized what she was doing.

Cornelia had her eyes closed ad head thrown back as much as she could, the sensations her brain was receiving utterly new to her and she very much liked them.

Will's mind ground to a perfect stop as her sharp ears picked up the deep and guttural moan that came from the blond's lips. 'Cornelia..... no..... you can't be....... this isn't.....' Her right arm went slack and the sword dropped onto the ground next to them with a dull thud.

Panic soon overtook Will and she tried to swiftly get off her friend but.... Cornelia's thighs had instinctively clamped down on Will's leg, trapping the young Drow's leg pressed flush against the Human's sex.

"C-C-Cornelia..... please..... let go.....," whispered Will, her voice broken and pleading with the Druidess. The poor girl was utterly mortified by the position the two ended up, not to mention what harm this could ultimately deal to their friendship.

Cornelia slowly came to her mind as she picked up Will's voice and instantly her mind processed the situation. In a matter of seconds the tall blond had a clear map in her mind and she too froze up. Sadly for Will this also meant that her leg was still trapped against Cornelia's sex.

The blond's mind was racing, trying to process what was happening and what to do now. Suddenly a memory flooded into her mind, a memory she had wished to never have had. Panic, fear and terror started to well up within her and her body was about to react to this..... when a single warm something fell onto her cheek.

Cornelia's eyes that had closed at one point snapped open and she stared up, right into the slightly glowing red ones of Will and what she saw shocked the Druidess to the core. Tears were slowly rolling down Will's cheeks, her eyes blinking rapidly. And then she heard the shorter girl's words. "Please Cornelia...... I didn't intend to..... I never planned....... PLEASE just let me go....... I...... I don't want to lose you........ as my friend......."

Very slowly the words sunk into her mind, the paniced picture that had been crafted by her memories was shattered in a million pieces and then put together.

'It.... it was an accident..... she didn't try to..... She is even crying..... fearing that I will..... Oh Mother Earth.....' Very slowly Cornelia reached upward, her hands softly cupping Wills cheeks. Her thumbs softly brushed over the Drow's cheek bones and rubbing away the tears. She marveled at how utterly soft and flawless Will's skin felt under her fingers. She saw Will's body shake with her tears and sobs and they awoke something in her that had lain dormant for a few years.

Very slowly she pulled the younger girl down, bringing her head to rest on her left shoulder. Their breasts molded against each other while she enveloped the distressed girl in a hug.

Her left hand was slowly stroking Will's hair in a soothing manner while her right hand rubbed up and down the girls back. She felt how Will's arm slowly snaked under her neck, clutching onto the blond for dear life.

[cue track 154. Metallica – Nothing Else Matters (Instrumental)]

Cornelia felt like she could hear a very soft music on the air..... a tune that she had nearly forgotten. Very slowly she started to hum along the tune, closing her eyes and simply hoping to calm her friend down.

As Cornelia hummed slowly she could see the most hated of her memories play out before her mind. Scene by scene it played out agonizingly slow. Her own tears started to softly roll down her cheeks, yet she never broke her humming tune or her petting of Will.

In a tree at the edge of the clearing sat a shadow in one of the higher tree branches, facing away from the girls in the clearing. The shadow's arms and hands were raised to its face, half lidded red eyes flashing in the darkness and casting light onto its hands. A small metal orcarina rested in the red glad hands of the shadow, the fingers very slowly playing a soft and touching tune in perfect synchronization to Cornelia's humming that danced in the wind.

Both tunes ended at the same time, the red eyes closing before the shadow melted away.

As Cornelia came to the end of the tune her tears had stopped and the memory had lost something..... it was still painful, still a dark spot but now... it felt like its weight had lessened.

The Druidess noticed that her tears had run try and a soft smile was playing on her lips. She opened her eyes and looked down at Will, seeing the red head had stopped crying as well.

Will didn't know how but as soon as Cornelia had started to hum that strange tune she seemed to calm down, the mealstorm in her mind calming slightly. She had been able to analyze the situation more rationally. She soon realized that Cornelia wasn't pushing her away, resenting her but.... the Druidess was hugging her, trying to calm her down.

After she realized this she simply closed her eyes and listened to her friend's humming. The tune struck a cord within her, as if she knew the tune from somewhere ages ago. It had brought back memories..... memories she had thought long since lost. Those memories had brought a sad smile to her face before the old memories were pushed away by new ones.... memories of her friends. The smile of sadness turned into a serene smile that spoke of true mental peace.

Will lifted her head from Cornelia's chest, planting her hands left and right of Cornelia's head and their eyes met for a moment. Both shone with the residue of their tears but their soft smiles were enough to brush away the worry for the other one. Will was about to speak when the blond's hands softly landed on her shoulders and she pulled herself upwards.

Will froze up as the blond brushed a shy, soft kiss over her lips. The kiss lingered for several seconds and soon Will closed her eyes, softly returning the innocent kiss. After a bit both of them yearned for air and separated.

Will slowly opened her eyes, her fingers of her right hand rising to her lips as she shakily brushed over them. She looked down at the Druidess, her red eyes wide and questioning.

Cornelia only smiled up at her slightly, not saying a single word. Finally the single word formed in Will's mind and she spoke it. "Why?"

The Druidess was silent for a long time before she answered, "I had to know."

The answer made no sense at all to Will and confusion was swift to cover her face. "What? You had to know what?"

Cornelia sighed slightly, pulling Will back down onto her. For a long time silence reigned between them but then Cornelia spoke. Her voice was low, soft and clearly she was struggling to but her thoughts into words but nevertheless she pressed on.

"It was.... a few summers ago.... My parents, as well as most others of the Grove had to leave to tend to a far away part of the woods. It was only me, Lilian, a few of the younger boys and.... and one adult woman were left behind to tend to our homes. I was the oldest of the children and thus.... 'she' made me look after the kids while she tended to the rest of the Grove. For several days nothing happened......"

"At the sixth day, after I brought the others to bed 'she' asked me to come over..... to her home..... I asked no questions...... I went over, already in my night clothes..... I had done this often when mom asked me do something shortly before bed...... 'She' asked me if I wanted some tea..... I accepted...... we talked a bit about when the rest of the Grove would be back..... and what we would do tomorrow while we waited for the tea......."

"When it was done we drank in silence.... I remember that 'she' was eying me carefully, as if expecting something...... I payed it no mind at all...... Then suddenly..... my body started to shiver..... I couldn't control myself....... the mug fell from my hand and shattered on the floor..... I looked at 'her'.... and 'she' had this glint in 'her' eyes. 'She' picked me up...... and carried me into her bedroom...... there...... there..... 'she' took off my clothes and.... did..... things.... to me......"

"I couldn't fight back...... I couldn't stop 'her'....... and 'she'... 'she' raped me...... through the whole night....... When morning came..... 'she' kissed me roughly....... and told me "This is what it means to be a woman"..... after that..... 'she' told me 'she' would do the same to Lilian..... if I said anything to anyone....... The others came back a few days later..... each night I had to go over to 'her' home..... to protect my sister....... Even when my parents were back..... I couldn't tell them..... and I kept going to 'her'......"

"After nearly a month.... my mother finally asked what was wrong with me.... I didn't want to tell her in fear of what would happen to Lilian.... but in the end I spilled everything. The next day 'she' was gone..... Mom told me they had banished 'her' and that 'she' would never be back..... By now I know that they executed 'her'...... Since then..... I had always been afraid of other females...... that they would do the same to me......"

New tears had spilled from her eyes as Cornelia spilled her darkest secret to the young red head. Will hadn't move a single inch, only listening to her friend. When Cornelia had begun to cry Will had simply held her, stroking her hair softly.

Without a word Will then sat up, straddling Cornelia's waist with her legs. She looked down at the blond Druidess, her red eyes shining with unshed tears. Slowly she leaned in and then very softly kissed Cornelia's forehead. But she didn't stop there.

Slowly she kissed her way down the blond's temple only to then lick away the tears on her right cheek.

She trailed kissed over her cheek until their lips met. The two kissed softly for a few seconds, both girls closing their eyes.

Then Will kissed her way further onto her left cheek, again licking away the tears.

When Will pulled back Cornelia's tears had stopped and both had very soft smiles on their lips. "Cornelia..... what happened..... was horrible but..... but you must know.... that.... that it wasn't your fault..... neither..... would I ever think about judging you for it. You are still you, you are still my friend.... and nothing will ever change that."

Cornelia's sky blue eyes were sparkling as the moon peeked from behind the clouds. Leaning up she planted a last soft kiss on Will's lips before she pulled the shorter girl down again. They hugged each other, simply enjoying the warmth and understanding between them. And soon their eyes closed, their minds drifting to sleep.

-----Destiny commands All-----

It was maybe an hour after the girls gave into their mental exhaustion when the moon was again uncovered from clouds. But strangely the moon seemed brighter than ever, its rays bathing the whole clearing in pure light. I single ray of light seemed to emit from the moon and hit the ground only a few feet from the sleeping girls.

Suddenly a silhouette stepped from inside the light, clearly not from this realm. The light took the form of a tall female, dark skin and pure white hair that flowed behind her in a soft breeze. A single, perfect sword rested in her right hand as she slowly stepped up to the girls. Her step was utterly fluent, as if moving to an unheard tune of music. She stepped next to the sleeping pair and kneed down.

Her left hand came to rest on top of Will's head. Her hand seemed to glow softly as she moved it down over Will's head and back. The hair her hand had touched was glowing and growing at speeds unnatural and following her hand. After a few seconds she stood up again, observing her work before she stepped back into the ray of light.

The ray flickered shortly before it disappeared in the same moment a cloud moved in front of the moon.

-----Destiny commands All-----

Will's eyes started to flutter open as she was softly shook by the shoulders. "Will. Will. Come on, wake up."

Groggily Will opened her eyes and sat up, wondering what was so smooth and silky under her touch. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes she looked down and realized it was Cornelia under her..... and that the soft feel was the blond's right breasts that she was grabbing onto.

A slight flush was visible of Cornelia's face and Will was swift to remove her hand, muttering a soft "Sorry".

"It's okay," said Cornelia with a soft voice, "There is something more important." Will tilt her head to the side, looking cutely down at Cornelia. The Druidess giggled softly at the utterly adorable look before she reach up and touched the top of Will's head. "This is what I mean."

Will felt her brush down the back of her head softly petting her hair...... only to go further down her back..... still petting hair..... And then Cornelia took hold of the hair and pulled it so Will could see it herself.

Will stared down on the brightly silver glowing hair, not really seeing it. Will's left hand came up, taking the long hair from Cornelia and feeling for herself that it was very much real.

Suddenly the young Drow jumped up and rushed for her clothes, digging through her pockets. After a few seconds she found the item she desired: a small mirror. While Will was no vain person she liked to look presentable. Also the mirror was a handy tool to look around corners. But tonight it would serve a much more pressing matter.

Turning her head slight Will gazed into the mirror, seeing for sure that there was a very long strand of glowing silver hair that ran down from the top of her head and nearly reaching her ankles. Will could only gap at the sight, her free hand reaching for her hair and letting the long strands glide through her fingers.

Cornelia came up behind her friend, a soft smile playing on her lips. She softly touched Will's left shoulder what caused the girl to spin around. Their eyes met for a few seconds before Will managed to press out a few words. "Do you..... think that this..... is a sign......."

Cornelia slowly reach behind Will, taking the long hair into her hand and softly twisting it around her wrist. Felling the pure softness of the hair Cornelia was already suspecting something but when she felt the warm feeling the flooded her hand, arm and then body she had no doubt. "Yes..... I believe it is a sign..... and so should you."

Tears of happiness pooled in Will's eyes before she suddenly flung her arms around Cornelia's neck and pulled the Druidess into a hug. Letting out a long and loud squeal of happiness Will spun the taller girl around a few time before she set her down again.

They once more locked eyes before Will stood up on her toes, crushing her lips against Cornelia's. The Druidess half expected this but what she didn't expect was for Will to push her tongue into her mouth, turning the innocent kiss between friends into a sloppy and arousing make-out.

At first Cornelia froze up but then she relaxed, leaning into the kiss and sending her own tongue onto a wild-goose chase after Will's own slippery appendage.

After nearly a whole minute the two parted, their faces utterly flushed while a small string of saliva connected their tongues, that still stuck out from between their parted lips.

"Thank you Cornelia, thank you so much! I don't know if I ever can repay you for what you have done for me tonight!" Will rested her head on the taller girl's shoulder, her arms hugging the taller blond tightly. Cornelia giggled, hugging the other girl as well. "I will think of something but for now....."

Placing a finger under Will's chin she made the shorter girl look at her before she stole a swift kiss from the surprised Drow. Licking her lips Cornelia's eyes sparkled humorously, "For now you could take over for Caleb when I am fed up with his stupid boy antics."

Will was utterly speechless. 'Is she....? She CAN'T mean THAT?!' "Cornelia..... do you mean that you.... and me....?"

Cornelia threw her head back, laughing lightly before reaching down in a bold move and pinching Will's left butt cheek harsh. 'Wow..... she really is filling out quite nicely there...... BAD CORNELIA!' "Silly..... I still love the knucklehead too much and in all honestly... I don't think you and me were meant to be together in THAT way. But we can still come to each other.... should we need a bit of tenderness.... and maybe a few kisses to raise our spirits."

Will blushed visibly as the taller girl whispered the last words sensually into her ear only to suddenly moan deeply as the blond licked her ear from lobe to tip. The small motion sent incredible shivers through Will's body and made her a bit week in the knees.

She clutched onto her friend in an attempt to steady herself. When she was sure she could stand alone again she looked up at Cornelia. Both girls smiled at each other, their eyes half lidded. "Of course we can," whispered Will softly, rubbing her cheek against the blond's shoulder. Cornelia softly ruffled through Will's hair before she spoke.

"As much as I would like to cuddle with you all night I think we should both get home. That reminds me....." Cornelia leaned back and glared down on Will, "HOW did you manage to leave Metamoora at this time? Not to mention the estate? And how do you plan to get back in?!"

Will smirked mischievously up at the blond, the spark in her red eyes reminding Cornelia of Hay when she came up with a crazy idea. "Spiderwalk is a VERY handy invocation."

Cornelia stared down at the smirking red head, before a soft chuckle rose in her throat. No much longer and both girls were laughing hard and leaning onto each other.

After several minutes they managed to calm down enough and started to get dressed. Cornelia was swiftly finished while Will was struggling with her stockings. Without a bed to sit on it was a pain to get into those bloody things.

Cornelia smirked as she saw Will struggle, "Hold still." Will froze in her movements and observed with wide eyes how Cornelia closed her eyes and spoke lowly under her breath. Even her ears couldn't pick up what she said. Then Cornelia leaned down and placed her open right palm on the forest floor.

Suddenly roots and and tendrils rose from the ground under her, raising her off the ground by a good foot and holding onto the girl's limbs.

Will was shocked and didn't dare to move an inch as Cornelia slowly walked up to her and took the stockings from Will's hand. Will observed how Cornelia softly rolled the stockings up her right leg and it send shivers up and down her spin. The Druidess' fingers lingered longer then needed on Will's right thigh before she repeated the process on Will's left leg.

Cornelia observed her handiwork before softly waving her right hand and the roots and tendrils softly sat Will back down onto the ground.

"What the heck was that," muttered Will as she swiftly fastened the clasps to the stockings. Cornelia only smiled at the shorter girl, "Taranee is not the only one who can come up with new uses for old spells. That was originally the Entangle spell, supposed to hold people in place around me. But with a but of tweaking, some respect for Mother and a few nice words you can shape the roots and tendrils in pretty much any shape you can think of."

Will shook her head as she slipped on her coat, "Seriously, sometimes I wonder what else you people think about when using spells." Cornelia grinned wolfishly, "You DON'T want to know....."

Laughing to two girls left the clearing and headed back to the road. For some weird reason none of the natural predators that normally roamed those woods were seen; only the nigh birds sang their songs.

Soon enough the two reached the crossroad where they would part. Cornelia eyed her friend for a moment before she grabbed her collar and pulled the girl into a fast but sensual kiss. As she broke away Cornelia breathed only a few words, "One for the trip...." And without another world the Druidess walked into the night, waving over her shoulder at her friend.

Will was standing in the same place even after Cornelia was swallowed by the night, her fingers softly brushing over her lips. Then a smirk split her face before she rushed along the city walls, muttering a few words in foreign tongue. Her hands and feet began to glow purple and then she suddenly scaled the wall without anything but her bare hands. It was only a matter of second before she reach the top of the walls, running like a shadow through the night as she raced home.

Behind her a figure melted from the shadows, standing where the two teens had separated. Red glowing eyes followed Will for a bit before they looked down. The moon cast its ray onto the figure, enlightening a black chain mail and a red gloved hand. A single, glowing silver strand of hair was twirled around the index finger. Suddenly a raspy voice filled the air. "The gears are turning..... Time ticks by..... Will it be enough..... or will They fail.....? Only Time will tell..... only Time....."

And without a sound the figure vanished in a small breeze of wind.

-----Destiny commands All-----

And CUT.

Phu, that was harder than I feared it would be.

As you maybe can see I am aiming to create a very trusting atmosphere between the group. Before you jump for your flamers let me make one thing clear: NO HAREM STORY!! Sure, by current society's standards that is what I am doing but you have to keep in mind that a) This is a freaking fictional world we are talking about and thus not to be judged by our own standards, b) This is NOT set in the modern days but more something like medieval europe and thus not to be judged by our own standards and c) Will is a freaking DROW, besides a few monsterous races pretty much sex and seduction giving flesh and body.

Even if Will as a character is shy and insecure her age old blood still has a large impact on her. I don't mean that as her blood having its own consciousness but in the sense of really old instincts. Every Drow instinctively competes with her peers and even siblings always try to beat each other. Drow do that in EVERY aspect of life, be it combat, arts, social status or simply sex. That is just how Drow society works (besides the 24/7 backstabbing).

I am also using Will's open-mindedness in terms of nudity and sexuality as a way to show that she was never shown the 'proper way' as the town people would call it. Yes, she has modesty but as the bathing scene a bit back has shown less than the normal city girl and maybe even less than the two other nature folks (Cornelia and Irma). I am simply trying to display their original characters as we know them together with the quintessential display of the Classes/Races I have given them. (Druids don't liking city life, Paladins being on 'a Holy Crusade' 24/7 etc).

And a cookie to who can figure out who the two unknown people are that have shown up in this chapter.

I see you folks in a month.

- Nelo Akuma


	20. Shattered Pieces

Good Day Ladies and Gentlemen.

I am sorry for the delay but this time it was not my fault. FF. Net was and still is being a bitch with uploading documents, Support hasn't gotten back to me just yet but i managed to get this thing up.

Today we deal with the aftermath of Will's and Cornelia's little adventure and something.... unexpected and not exactly pleasant for Will happens.

Anyway, thanks for reviewing and support go out to **XV-Dragon**, **Baran3**, **WolfDragonGod**, **Rain Addict CM** and **ladygoddess8**.

Now on with the show.

-----Destiny commands All-----

Will was taking her morning soak in the bath, floating on her back and her hair spilled out behind her on the water's surface. Some strands of her silvery hair was clinging to her sides and arms, seemingly pulsing with a soft and warm energy. The energy sent a warm and calming feeling through Will and she enjoyed the pure sensation as long as she could.

Will hadn't met anyone yet so as soon as she stepped out of the bath she would have hell to explain to Weira, Zaden and Elyon; not to mention Hay and Taranee when they came around this noon. A frown settled on her cherry red lips, 'And of course there is the walking and breathing riddle that is Raven.'

The eccentric instructor had yet to return from wherever he had left to and Will was getting anxious about it. After all, the Arcane Thunder was only a mere two weeks away and there was still much she wanted to learn. More Hexblade spells, more Invocations, perfecting what she already knew, learning new katas for her sword fighting. There was so much she still needed to prepare for.

Closing her eyes the red head went over who she knew would join the event. 'I know for sure that Taranee and Elyon will join. I am also pretty sure that this Uriah will enter as well.... I'll have to watch out for him.... And then there is this new exchange student.... What was her name again? Miro- no.... Mira! That's it. But it's strange..... Why do I always have this strange feeling when I am around her? The others never noticed anything.....'

Shaking her head to get rid of those thoughts Will stood up in the bath, her flaying hair spraying the room with drops of water. Pulling two towels from the rack Will was swift to dry her body off, taking great care to not excite herself.... again.... A blush covered her face when she recalled all the mornings in which she needed to take a second soak because toweling off had aroused her so much she had to finish it to be able to go through the day.

Wrapping the towel around her body, the small piece of cloth just enough to cover the most naughty bits, Will turned her attention to her hair. Normally this would have been only a matter of a few moments but with her new tail it took nearly five minutes. 'I really have to think of something with this tail,' thought Will as she moved her fingers through the silvery strands. 'It's too long to simply wear it open; I guess a braid would be the best option.'

Letting the soaking towel drop from her slim body she reached out for her favorite bathrobe, black with red swirls and arcane symbols made of silk, before she headed out of the bath and up to Elyon's and her room, hoping that the older Elf was awake by now. Will didn't think she could braid her hair alone just yet.

-----Destiny commands All-----

Elyon was standing at the glass front that lead onto their balcony, staring to the east and watching the sun rise slowly. 'Why won't this let me be alone? Why does it always come back to me?'

The Heiress' mind was of course back in that night..... the night she had gotten piss drunk and then the...... morning after....

The Elf had not really changed how she slept with her..... servant. The word still left a very bitter taste in her mouth but officially Will WAS her servant. But besides the bad feeling and the fear that she might try to molest her friend again Elyon had not been given a choice in the matter. Will would always come up to her and start cuddling and Elyon didn't have the heart to push the red head away, no matter how dangerous it might be.

The poor girl was mulling over her... predicament again and again, and was unable to figure out a solution. Her train of thought was broken when the door opened and Will stepped inside. Elyon's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as she saw the long hair flow behind the red head.

"Oh, good morning Elyon," said Will in a cheery voice. "W-w-wi-ll....," stuttered Elyon, staring at the long trail of hair that flowed behind her friend. Will of course knew why Elyon was looking like she had been bitch slapped several times. "You mean this," said the girl as she wrapped the long silver hair around her wrist a few times.

Elyon could only nod dumbly as she stared at the silver tresses. She could feel a strange kind of energy radiate from it but she couldn't place the feeling.

Will uncurled her hair from around her wrist, "Well, I don't really feel like explaining it over and over again; I guess you will have to wait until the rest are here." again Elyon could only nod dumbly, watching how Will pulled on her usual clothes.

"Hey Elyon, could you please braid my hair? It's a bit too long to wear it open." Still barely registering anything Elyon moved behind Will, starting to braid the silver tresses.

-----Destiny commands All-----

Weira and Zaden were staring across the table at the young Drow how she happily munched on her breakfast. Neither of the two could really explain to themselves how Will had suddenly grown such long hair, nor the sudden color change. Glancing at each other they could barely hold back their questions but Will had already told them that she would explain things as soon as the rest of her friends came over.

They looked back at Will, watching the Drow happily eat her fried bacon, sliced meat and bread. The braid of silver hair was thrown over her left shoulder and hang down her front, pooling in her lap. The braid still went nearly down to the girl's calves if she stood tall and it had been the reason for many curious stares from the staff.

When the door opened a few minutes later Irma, Hay, Taranee and Cornelia entered the room while chatting lightly amongst each other. The chatter came to an abrupt halt as three sets of eyes fell on Will and her changed appearance. "Will," asked Irma lowly, her voice clearly stating that she was questioning what she saw.

The young girl looked up, a piece of bacon sticking from between her lips. Swiftly swallowing the food she grinned at them, "Hey, how are you?"

-----Destiny commands All-----

".... And that is where that change comes from," finished Will, having recounted some of the last night. She had left out Cornelia's presence and what happened between the Druidess and her.

Weira was the only one present that seemed to believe Will. The others thought that Will simply had some weird-ass dream and woke up with her change in hair style. Of course Cornelia had to hide her smirk at Will's modified explanation.

They had long since moved into the backyard for the chat as the staff was getting large ears at the doors.

A heated discussion broke out between Irma and Will, the brunette claiming that such a thing was impossible while the red head simply pointed at her braid as if asking 'You blind or don't you see THAT?!'.

Taranee was silently contemplating the possibility and odds of Will's story being true. 'But with what already HAS happened to her so far..... it's not that far off the rocker as some would think.'

All the musing and chattering came to an abrupt halt as a gigantic shadow passed over them.

Everyone raised their head, searching the sky for the reason for that shadow. What they spotted made many throat dry up.

High in the sky above Metamoora was.... a dragon. The massive beast was circling above the city as if searching for something and its shadow was large enough to nearly cast a while district into twilight.

Weira and Zaden swallowed hard as the magical creature suddenly went into a steep dive.... right at them!

The dragon folded its wings against its body, hurtling down towards them at dazzling speeds.

Closer and closer the beast came and soon enough everyone was able to identify it as a red one.

The two adults were able to relax now, knowing that the weather around Metamoora was not the normal territory of a Red Dragon and thus the creature had to be here by someone's commands. And they knew only of a handful of people able to command a Red Dragon.

The girls were close to running away, fearing that the dragon would impact on them when the beast spread its wings wide, the blueish leather catching the air under them and halting the dive swiftly.

The dragon came to a full stop just a few feet off the ground, its wings doing strong flaps before it set down, the ground giving a slight quake as the creature landed.

The girls were swift to draw reference to the only other Red Dragon they had seen: Raven after he had transformed in the 'fight' with Caleb. But this dragon was easily taller than Raven.

It was sitting on its haunches, its head clearly more than 60 feet above them and its wings spanning nearly through the majority estate. Two ridges of spikes and horns moved from its head, over its back and down its tail. The eyes that seemed to be made of molten lave were framed by pure scarlet scales that danced in the slight light those eyes cast.

The whole group swallowed dryly as the dragon lowered its head down to their level. They expected the beast to address them, probably in its own tongue but instead.....

"Hello folks, sorry I was gone so long."

Jumping from the head of the dragon was no on else but.... Raven. The crazy bastard was back and from the look on his face he was bringing chaos.

"Ui mobi tivol throdenilt wux rigluin di ve opsola?"

"Thric vinxa deevdru; wux nomag wiap spical ekess wer bekim."

The massive dragon, it's voice clearly male as it spoke its own tongue was clearly male. That Raven answered back in the same language and with the same smoky and guttoral voice came as no surprise to most.

The dragon nodded his head before looking the group over. His molten eyes stayed on each person for several moments and even Weira and Zaden felt uneasy under the intense gaze.

"Zyak nomeno ui jacioniv.... wux tir siofme jaciv geou qe yscik ekess larinn ve?" The dragon's voice was serious but at the same time it held a very strange sound of humor.

The girls were clearly worried WHAT exactly was spoken there as the Red Ones were not known to either have patience with mortals or see them as more than snacks.

Raven though gave a barking laughter leaning against the front claws of the dragon. "Ahahaha! Tir ti rasv'kled jacioniv jaka; jaciv ui kiarf throdenilt loupon svabol ocuiric wer sauriv. sjek wux re ti doegel wux netiaj filki sulta svern sva jacioniv riika vur ti wer lyrik idol zahae."

The two shared some barking laughs before the dragon spoke, his voice clearly smug, "Yth nishka ocuir zahae batobot. veitrelg opsola, tir ti origato dask itheik kiri drong. Si hullphir ekess tepoha ti jikmadada vdri.."

"Thesek douta lexri nuwa'jimos usv si nishka anku wux svaust tepohaic wer garmthic persvek nomeno svih." Raven's voice clearly stated that he wasn't too happy with whatever the dragon had said.

The dragon only laughed again, "Hak si nishka clax sia jaseve. Sjek wux ornla qe lemeba ekess wiap ve."

Raven clearly growled darkly under his breath but it seemed like he still did as the dragon asked him to.

The dragon spread his wings to full span while Raven stepped under him, closing his eyes. After only a few seconds ruby red Arcane power burst from his body, radiating a heat that made the humanoids sweat.

They wondered what was going on when they suddenly saw the heated current of air be caught under the dragon's wings and he slowly started to flap his wings. After a few moments the massive creature lifted off the ground slowly, the heated current obviously serving as a replacement for the starting run a dragon of this size normally needed to take flight. A few minutes later and the dragon took off high into the sky, circling above city a few times before letting loose a mighty roar that shook everyone in the city to the core.

Then it took flight towards the north, soon raising high above the clouds.

The red aura of energy around Raven suddenly faded away and the man opened his eyes, letting out a couple of low breaths. "Darn lazy bastard," he muttered while he whipped a few drops of sweat from his forehead. Turning towards the group he raised a single eyebrow at the gob-smacked faces, "What? Never seen a Human and Draconian get along?"

Weira and Zaden snapped out of their stupor and shook their heads, muttering several choice words about "crazy ass bastards", "showoffs" and "arrogant bricks". Raven took their insults with a smirk playing over his lips.

Elyon suddenly turned to her mother, "Mom, you speak Draconian Tongue, what did the two talk about?" Weira though only shook her head, "Elyon, you should know that there is a difference between being able to read draconian runes and speak their tongue. I have no idea what the two talked about. I THINK I recognized a few words but they were of no nature to explain their topics."

"As it should be," smirked Raven as he walked up to the group. "After all, dragons wouldn't have been able to hide so many secrets by teaching everyone their language."

"Then how did YOU learn it," asked Taranee sharply. As a Wizardess she yearned to converse with beings of great magical power and dragons were as high up the ladder as a normal mortal could dream to reach.

Raven gave the dark skinned girl a toothy grin, "How do you think I did? I pestered a dragon until she caved in and taught me. Took a couple of years of constantly annoying the living shit out of her but it worked out in the end."

Everyone stared at the male like he grew several more heads and horns before Will simply shook her head, "Only you..... only you...."

Raven's eyebrows suddenly rose before he grabbed Will's head and made her turn, staring at the long silver braid. Everyone relished in the shortly speechless male, something that happened rarely enough. "Will.... When did THAT happen?! I wasn't gone THAT long!"

"Last night," answered Will with a smirk on her face, loving the fact that she could shock the normally 'all knowing' male.

They all were sure they could hear the gears turn in Raven's head before he came to a conclusion if the smirk on his face was any indication, "I see..... looks like you are really favored....." Letting go of Will's head he shortly traced the braid before pulling his hand back, "Well, it looks to me like a small reward is in order, wouldn't you say?"

The smile on his face was rather bright by his standards as he reached for something on his belt and pulled a small blue pouch into sight.

Will's and Elyon's eyes widened as they recognized the Pouch of Holding. Will's throat and lips went try, her fingers twitching and wanting to know what the elusive male had in mind for her.

Raven could actually taste the anticipation in the air and on the inside he was cackling like a madman. 'Buahahahah! I bet this might be able to knock her cold!'

Agonizingly slow Raven reached into the pouch and pulled out something.....

Even Weira and Zaden felt themselves drawn towards the male, curious what the man would present this time.

Will was growing more and more anxious with each second. The last time Raven had given her her sword. 'he said the sword was one of two...... maybe..... maybe he has deemed me worth of the second one!' Will as slightly bouncing on her toes, acting like a nervous Hay.

Raven finally had pity on the girl and pulled his hand from the bag..... to reveal a scroll.

"That is it," shouted Hay, glaring at the male. "All this anticipation building for only a scroll?!" Raven simply smirked at the girl, "Think about it Hay. Your family hails from the lands in the east...... not to mention your mother trained with some of the best warriors the east has..... What do they use scrolls for?"

Hay was clearly about to give the most logic answer when her mind crashed to a stop, eye going wide as an ancient art of her family came back to her mind, "You don't mean.........."

"Sealing Scrolls," smirked Raven, slowly unrolling the scroll and placing it on the ground. In the middle of the scroll was a strange array of runes bound together in a spiral. Closing eye he started to chant a few words and gathering some of his arcane power to the finger tips of his right hand. Putting the hand on the 'seal' a puff of white smoke filled the air, obscuring whatever he had stored in there from sight.

When the smoke finally cleared everyone but Raven gasped at the sight. Before them stood an armor doll, a T-shaped wooden structure to store heavier armor. On the doll hang an armor that looked... beautiful. It was a Chainmail, a full body chain suit of thousand over thousand small metal rings. Instead of the typical metallic color though this Chainmail was colored in a dark purple, reminding the present people of the glow of Eldritch Might.

The small rings of this Chainmail were so small you could barely notice them from further than a few feet away and they clearly were specifically crafted for this very armor. On the shoulders and the collarbone as well as the wrists were covered in fine metal plates shaped like leaves, delicately crafted even with the water veins found in a real leaf. Sleeves covered the upper arms down to around the elbows. The pants of the Chainmail were covered up by a 'skirt' of sorts, cut in the front and back to give the wearer the needed mobility. The waist and groin area were again covered by leaf shaped metal plates as well as the shins and arches. All in all this armor looked like it should be looked at, not worn in battle. [Check bottom notes for details please.]

Slowly all eyes moved the Raven, two pairs of the wide I recognition. "Raven..... are you serious....," whispered Weira, her hands shaking a bit with the barely suppressed need to run her hands over the smooth metal.

"Dead serious," said the man with a small smile on his face. Turning to the young Drow he started to explain what this really was. "Will, this type of armor, while falling into the class of Chainmails is actually still a Light Armor. Its called an Elven Chain. Each link is crafted from pure mithral and each link is crafted with the body of the wearer in mind. Only a handful of blacksmiths of the Elves are taught how to craft this type of armor and normally it is reserved for the Royal Guard or Nobles. As you can see this mithral has been colored during the smelting process which has no effect on the efficiency of the armor and is simply of a visual nature. Seeing as they are crafted from mithral, Elven Chains barely have the same weight as a normal Chain Shirt and are a lot more comfortable to wear."

"This specific one has been enchanted already. For one the spell Feathertouched has been cast on it during the whole smelting and forging process, resulting in an even lesser weight. All in all it shouldn't weight more than maybe ten pounds. It also has been imbued with arcane energy, making it much harder to harm the wearer with a spell unless the caster is considerably more powerful than the one who imbued the armor."

Will was staring shocked at the armor. The Longsword had been an overwhelming gift but this.... this was breathtaking on the highest degree.

"Ra-Raven.... how.... what....," the young Drow was unable to actually form a coherent sentence.

The enigmatic man only gave his young ward a warm smile, something rarely seen on the man's face, "Listen up Will and listen well: you have to accept that I am a person who doesn't take things lightly. You wish to take part in the Arcane Thunder; your youth alone puts you as a disadvantage as nearly all other combatants have more experience; your race makes you a prime target for all the bigoted and idiotic bastards; your status as a 'servant' will be used to attack Elyon. You have grown a lot in the last weeks, faster and better than anyone could have suspected. You have earned the right to be in this."

Kneeling down before the girl Raven placed his hands on Will's shoulders, their red eyes locking, "Will, you have become a dear and precious person to me; I am not going to throw you out to the sharks without knowing that I prepared you as well as I can. If that means that I have to spend several thousand or million gold it doesn't bother me. Maybe I am spoiling you rotten, maybe I am showing favoritism but it doesn't matter to me. I believe.... no, I know that you can and will change the way the world sees you and I am more than willing to give you the tools needed."

No one around them dared to breath as the unlikely duo gazed into the others eyes. The red eyes of the old male were soft and warm while the young girl was fighting with tears.

Will's whole body was trembling with a mixture of shock and thankfulness. She didn't know why tears were starting to pool in her eyes; she wasn't sad, she was happy. Not because of the gift itself, not because of its value.... but because of the thought behind the gesture.

Unable to keep herself back anymore she flung herself at the man, her arms wrapping tightly around his neck and burrowing her face on his shoulder.

Raven simply moved his arms around the girl, softly patting her back. "It's okay Will, it's okay."

Weira and Zaden exchanged looks with small smiles, slowly taking their leave. The relationship between mentor and student was slowly growing deeper and deeper.

After a few minutes Will pulled back, rubbing her eyes dry with her sleeves. Raven gave her a soft smile before turning to Elyon. The Elf was clearly scowling at the man be she held her tongue. "Mind helping her into it," asked Raven softly, hoping that his light tone would pacify the heiress.

Sighing on the inside Elyon nodded, swiftly taking the armor from the puppet, utterly surprised how light the Chainmail was. 'It truly isn't any heavier than the Chain Shirt she already wears.' Leading Will into the house she left the four girls with the sole male in the yard.

Slowly Taranee turned towards Raven, her face a stony mask that was, to be totally honest, unnerving the man. "Raven..... what do you hope to achieve with all those 'presents'?"

Raven nearly fell over from shock at what Taranee was hinting at, "What the Hell Cook?! What are you accusing me of?!" The red in his eyes seemed to darken, his lips drew up in a dark snarl, baring a long canine tooth. Stepping well into the personal space of the young Elf the male stared down on her, his face clearly not please and a dangerous heat started to radiate from him.

Taranee slowly noticed that she might have crossed the line and tried to defuse the situation but clearly she was too late for that.

"If that is all you see in me..... then good luck trying to train Will, for I will not bother anymore!" Turning on his heel Raven walked away from the group before his whole body burst into flames, consuming his form and leaving only a small patch of burned grass behind.

Taranee could only stare at what she had done with but a few words. Hay, Cornelia and Irma couldn't say anything as Taranee slowly sank to her knees, her head lowered and blue hair covering her eyes.

The sound of feet hitting the ground came from behind them and Cornelia slightly turned her head, seeing Will rush into the yard, dressed in her new armor and her face beaming with joy.

Will's face fell instantly when she saw that Raven was missing and Taranee on her knees. "What... where is Raven?" Her voice was but a whisper, fearing the answer.

Slowly Taranee looked up, two trails of tears staining her cheeks, "I.... I am...... so sorry...... so sorry......."

The whole world seemed to stand still around Will, her mind wasn't truly able to process the truth at first but then she couldn't deny it anymore: her friend had pushed away one of the few that truly trusted her; Taranee, someone she thought of as one of her closest friends..... had made Raven leave her behind......

-----Destiny commands All-----

And cut, copy ad paste.

It seems like Taranee's mouth has been working for worse this time and it seems like she really managed to piss off Raven..... Hopefully the older Warlock will come back or Will's training will come to a very sudden and probably dangerous halt.....

Before you ask: the language Raven and the dragon spoke was Draconian Tongue and for now it will not be translated. you can go out of your way and search for a translator but it will not help you much. the Draconian Tongue is too... simple at times to give 1:1 translations and ended with me using "fitting" words.

About Will's new armor: i know my description wasn't the best that is why i went out and dragged down an official picture of the basic Elven Chain. just copy this link and remove the spaces (it's 100% save) http: //c2. ac-images .myspacecdn . com / images02 / 136 / l_ . jpg

I hope this chapter wasn't too disappointing for you. See you folks in a month.

- Nelo Akuma


	21. Call to Arms, Part 1

Good Day Ladies and Gentlemen.

Welcome back to the next chapter. it has been a bit of a pain to get this chapter started but with what i have now i have a good feeling.

There seems to have been a bit confusion about Will's new hair style so i will make it clear: her hair is still shoulder long and red BUT from the top of her head she has a strand, around two fingers thick when braided, that goes down to her calves. hope that cleared confusion up.

Another thing i have noticed is that people seem to dislike Raven and are happy he is gone. I simply wish to ask for your reason why you are happy he is gone.

Now, a bit in there is a song in Drow speech. placing a translation directly after it would have been ugly so i will tell you the song in the bottom Authors Note as it is easy to find online.

and now enough talk, that is not what you came here for; you came for the sexy violence.

-----Destiny commands All-----

It was the night before the Arcane Thunder that found Will sitting on the city walls in the back of the Ilvaren estate. The moon illuminated her face, revealing a deep scowl present on her soft features.

Since Raven had left a huge rift had been opened between Will and the other five. Will secluded herself from them, even going so far to no longer sleep in one bed with Elyon. She barely spoke with any of them, the only ones regularly getting more than a single word from her were Weira and Zaden and that also only when the girl asked for advice.

The young Drow threw herself into her studies and training, working with a determination of a Lich wanting more power. No one dared to interrupt her sword training, something that had gotten more and more vicious over the days.

At night Will had stopped to actually sleep. She could always be found in the woods of the estate, sitting in the lotus position with her Eldritch and Arcane power circling around her. The sheer power she radiated during the nights was strong enough to keep any wildlife away from her and even Weira felt very uneasy when she approached the girl to call her for breakfast. Weira had only once before felt such a deep and powerful potential and that had been from a legend centuries ago.

The elder Ilvaren had also been unable to stop Will from signing up for the Arcane Thunder. The young Drow had worked so hard that it was clear that she had a good chance of actually winning the competition.

Will's eyes fell into her lap, the red of her eyes glowing slightly as she took in the details of the item that lay in her lap: Raven's first gift to her, her first sword.

'Wherever you are Raven.... I swear to you that your gifts will not go to waste.....' Drawing the shining weapon from its sheath Will studied the runes carved into the metal. Holding the sword in her left hand she used her teeth to remove the glove from her right hand. Slowly she traced the sharp edge with her index and middle finger from hilt to tip. Half way up she cut herself but she barely even flinched, coating the top half of the edge in a very thin layer of her ruby red blood.

Letting the glove drop from her teeth into her lap Will softly suckled on her injured fingers, her tongue tracing the wounds to clean them.

Leaning her head back against the tower behind her, her eyes gazed into the starlit sky. 'Raven.... I wonder where you are...... I wonder if I will ever see you again....'

A lone, crystal tear slid down her left cheek, sparkling in the soft rays of the moon. Blinking away the tears Will forced those depressing thoughts down; she had an upcoming tournament to win... no, not win: utterly dominate. She was well aware of the chances that she could run into Elyon or Taranee but she had sworn herself to be hard and face them with the same ferocity as she would with the rest of the competition. 'Especially Taranee,' thought Will darkly.

Suddenly her eyes widened as she saw a shooting star race over the horizon. She traced the bright light and it brought back memories. New tears slid down her cheeks, the tip of her tongue wetting her lips. Slowly she started to hum to herself, the words of old forming on her lips uncalled.

L' bekea nesst telanth fridj z'hin nindol i'dol  
Ulu l' d'issan d'lil ssussun  
L' su'aco orn z'hren wund dosst jindurn  
'zil l' drasven k'lararl dos a  
Nym'uer nindol ssivah dal charnag wu'suul  
Ol's l' lar d' dosst xukuth  
Veir dosst solen lu' dosst orn ragar  
L' i'dol doeb d'lil olath

Ghil Usstan tlun  
Orn dos kus uns'aa biu mirshann  
Ghil Usstan tlun  
Wun l' thac'zil d'lil kre'tan elemmiire

L' bekea nesst telanth fridj ragar dosst k'lar  
Wun l' sol d'lil maral  
Lac l' crysos reztorm l' i'dol  
Fridj sarn d'lil spirolen

Ghil Usstan tlun  
Orn dos kus uns'aa biu mirshann  
Ghil Usstan tlun  
Wun l' thac'zil d'lil kre'tan elemmiire

L' bekea nesst telanth fridj raise dosst rah  
Lu' ul'plyr doeb whol l' wlalth  
Ragar l' dobor ulu l'elamshin thac'zil  
Fridj z'reninth wun dosstan  
Nym'uer nindol ssivah dal charnag wu'suul  
Ol's l' lar d' dosst xukuth  
Veir dosst solen lu' dosst orn ragar  
L' i'dol doeb d'lil olath

Ghil Usstan tlun  
Orn dos kus uns'aa biu mirshann  
Ghil Usstan tlun  
Wun l' thac'zil d'lil kre'tan elemmiire  
Ghil Usstan tlun  
Orn dos kus uns'aa biu mirshann  
Ghil Usstan tlun  
Wun l' thac'zil d'lil kre'tan elemmiire

One last tear fell from her left eye as she held the last syllable as the shooting star faded into nothing. Unnoticed by her the dark lines that had been carved into her skin months ago started to glow lightly, twisting and turning on her skin, forming even further interwoven patterns.

Brushing away her tears Will stood up, sheathing her sword on her hip before slowly pulling her glove back on; all that while walking down the wall as if she was glued to it.

A new light burned in her eyes, a light of determination brighter than the sun itself.

-----Destiny commands All-----

The city of Metamoora was one of the largest in the lands of the Sword Coast, dwarfed only by Waterdeep in the South, Neverwinter in the North-West and Silverymoon in the North-East. If you managed to get a look at the city from straight above you'd be able to see that the city was actually shaped like a four-leaf clover. But each of the four leafs actually touched the other so it gave the illusion of the city being round like most others.

In the center of the clover was the so called "Heart of Metamoora", the area where the noble council, the merchant council and the Lady of the city would meet to discuss matters of great importance. The Lady's mansion was in the very center of the city, the building itself also shaped like a clover and built on a small hill that raised the highest tower of the mansion above the city walls.

Surrounding the "Heart" was a park in the form of a circle. In this green area many temples were located, the headquarters of the Paladin order as well as several arcane orders.

In each of the four leafs there were several districts, clearly divided by the shape of the buildings. The northern leaf was the residential area, with the higher up living closer to the city walls and the others more towards the center of the city. The whole of the leaf was called "The Elemental Districts" in reference to the many Wizards and other arcane casters having taken up residence there in the early years of the city.

The eastern leaf was the merchants area, both for shops and living quarters. Nearly one third of all souls in Metamoora lived there and the district was always abuzz with life. Even the black market was located there and placed towards the center of the city. This leaf was called "Gold Coin", hinting at the fact that hundreds of gold changed owners every day.

The western leaf was craftsman section of the city and it housed half the souls of the city. Forges, seamstresses, binderies and every other type of craft was present and besides a few nightly hours always open for business. The forges creating weapons and armor were settled in the center, the river Meridian flowing through the leaf from north to south-west. This area was called "Hammer and Anvil", in relation to the first craftsmen who settled in this area.

The southern leaf was the entertainment section. Gambling dens, pubs, inns, small arenas, the large colosseum and even the red light district were located in this part. This was the area that was mostly alive during the night and called "Night Lotus", having grown from the red light part over the years.

This last area was strangely alive today, even during the peak hours of the sun. But an explanation was swiftly found: today was the start of the Arcane Thunder, THE magical tournament for young folks to challenge each other in the northern part of the Sword Coast. Everyone who cold spare the time and silver had made sure to get good seats and just for one day there was no difference in status: nobles sat next to the street rats, Watchmen were drinking with thugs, priests were discussing the upcoming fight with pimps and whores alike.

The massive round stone building was large enough to contain the thousands of spectators and dozens of fighters. Nearly a mile in diameter it was easily the largest building of the city and one of the most prominent features.

The fighters had gathered in the center of the stadium below, waiting for the Lady of the city to announce the start of the Thunder as well as reveal what this years challenge would be.

Elyon was nervously shifting her feet, her silvery eyes always going back and forth between the two people on her left and right: Will and Taranee.

The young Drow had donned her new armor under her purple coat, getting several curious gazes from the contestants from outside of the city and sneers from the people who had heard about her. The focused and determine look on the red head's face was enough to tell people that she was not present to mess around but to kick ass and take names.

The slightly older Elf though was nervous, glancing at Will now and then only to lower her eyes in shame again. Many Metamoorians were wondering about this, as Therese's daughter was well known to be a competent Wizardess.

Suddenly the buzzing in the colosseum died down as a platform made of white marble started to float from the edge of the building towards the center. The platform held several finely carved wooden chairs, one raised above all the others. On said "throne" sat the Lady of Metamoora: Lady Nasheris of Metamoora, formally of Neverwinter. A late descendant of the great ruler Lord Nasher she had long ago left the ocean city behind.

While she was a human she had a strong bloodline running in her veins, a bloodline that had her exceed normal human age long ago. She had been the chosen ruler for nearly a century, yet she didn't look any older than her late twenties. Standing nearly 6'5'' tall she was one of the tallest human females most had seen. Her platinum blond hair was put up in a complicated pattern, her silver and golden robes showing just how high she stood on the ladder even to foreigners.

Standing, the Lady brushed a delicate hand over her throat and soon her voice carried over the whole building.

"We welcome you to our city of Metamoora, to witness with us this years Arcane Thunder. A great many potential masters and mistresses will take the challenges we present them in hopes of proving themselves to themselves, their families and us."

Applause, cheers and whistles filled the air as the audience was getting slightly impatient.

"A hundred and six young people have entered this years Arcane Thunder, making it the biggest competition we have seen since the Arcane Thunder was started nearly fifty years ago. In sight of this number we have decided to present the young people with the greatest challenge we can offer them: the Oktáedron."

Raising her arms the Lady let her arcane magic flow into the sand ground below and the whole area began to shake. A massive seal array carved itself into the sand and caused the contestants to swiftly step back until they all stood with their backs against the walls.

The air started to shimmer as something was called into this plain of existence, blue specks of light flickering inside the stadium. Most eyes were wide with shock, only a few who had studied Arcane Magic intensely knew what was happening before their eyes and smirked.

After several minutes the bright light vanished, revealing what the Lady had called into this plane of existence.

People stared at the enormous octahedron that floated in the air, spinning slowly clockwise on one of the corners. But the object didn't seem solid; more like blue light beams bent in ways to form the enormous object that stood well past the roof of the colosseum. Past the basic hull everyone could see hundreds over hundreds of rooms inside, each room linked to all others around it. Only in the center of the object was a large room with a glowing orb that set in the very center of the structure.

"The Oktáedron is a labyrinth originating from the Astral Plane. While it may seem like it has no substance it does have as soon as your own bodies pass at least partly over into the Astral Plane. When the fighters enter they will see that to them the walls will be solid stone. Each room will pose a challenge to the contestants, some of mental nature, some of physical nature. If you meet another contestant the room will lock down until one of you yields or is no longer able to continue, either by knock out... or death."

Gasps could be heard from many many people and some contestants paled.

"Yes, from this year on the contestants WILL be able to die in the Arcane Thunder. It is our interpretation that the Arcane Thunder has been turned into a sport, a joke of what it used to stand for. This ends this year. The Arcane Thunder is not a sport, it is reality and it is harsh."

Silence filled the colosseum as everyone hang onto the lips of Lady Nasheris.

The sky blue eyes of the Lady roamed over the youngsters below her, taking in the many shocked, the few frightened and the very few ecstatic faces. "The contestants will be provided with food and water every four hours. Should the Arcane Thunder last through the night the rooms will automatically lock down for the night, protecting you from surprise attacks. Sleeping mats will be provided but it is your own charge to be awake and prepared when the rooms open again at sunrise."

"Your goal is to reach the center of the Oktáedron and touch the Orb in the center. It is clear to us that it may be possible for multiple people to reach the central chamber at once so be prepared for a last stand before reaching the Orb." Doing a few arcane gestures in the air platforms of pure energy formed under each fighter, slowly lifting them off the ground. "These platforms will bring you to your starting rooms. These rooms will also prohibit any form of combat inside so they can also be a safe haven for you."

Fixing everyone with a sharp gaze the Lady stared into their eyes, "If you feel that these changes are beyond you, this is your last chance to quit and save face. Enter and your performance shall be watched."

Will couldn't help herself and licked her lips that had twisted into a smirk. She could really cut loose this time. She could see what she truly was capable of by now. If one were to look close you could see her eyes glow slightly, the ancient sign of a Drow giving into her Blood and craving battle.

No one quit and the platforms started to swirl randomly around the Oktáedron as many paths into the structure opened up. Will could feel a shiver go through her as her platform spun around and then launched towards an opening. The world seemed to shimmer for a moment before the formally see through walls became solid stone. Taking in every detail of the outside Will saw that each space was engraved with arcane runes, weathered and old.

'I am about half way up the top on the western side.... I just need to move towards the center and down.....' trying to commit her thoughts to memory Will nearly fell over as the platform below her came to a sudden stop. Standing straight again she looked up and saw an opening in the stone structure. Not wasting time she jumped through the opening, covering the few feet that separated the structure and her platform.

Landing inside the room the opening behind her slid shut with the distinct sound of stone against stone. For a split second Will couldn't see anything before her eyes instinctually switched modes and started to glow in a soft red. [A/N: I know that the term is hardly fitting at all but I don't want to give a long winded explanation each time Will's eyes switch to her night vision; and if someone wants to get on my case of Drow not having real night vision: screw you guys, First Edition supplement rules.]

Scanning the room swiftly Will noticed a total of five doors, one in the floor, one in the ceiling and one in each wall. But.... all of them were open. Wasn't there supposed to be a riddle, some kind of test before they opened?

Will looked through the rather empty stone room, trying to find any trap or something of the like that would explain this clearly unnatural sight before her. And then it hit her like a ton of bricks and she slapped her forehead 'You're so stupid Will. The darkness WAS the riddle. You just never noticed the predicament another one would be in in this darkness.' Shaking her head slightly she walked up to the doorway in the floor, cautious of anything that might happen.

Peering through the opening she only saw a black blanket, nothing hinted at the room below. 'I am not going to jump down into a room that could be dozens of feet deep,' thought the young Drow as she stepped away from the doorway. Looking around she saw that the other doors were blocked by the same black blanket. 'No way of knowing if the next room will be anything dangerous or something too mentally challenging.....'

For a few minutes Will simply stood in the pitch darkness, wondering which path she should take. Finally she decided to do something crazy. Closing her eyes Will started to swiftly spin on the spot, soon loosing all sense of direction. 'When I stop I will open my eyes and take the path that I will be looking at.' Spinning so fast on the spot that she nearly lost her footing Will suddenly stopped. She waited a few seconds to get her footing back before she slowly opened her eyes.

She was looking at the doorway in the ground and it caused her to groan, 'Great, just my luck.' Slowly she walked up to the doorway, wondering how she should do this and if she would be able to figure out a way down without breaking her neck or.... ankle.....

For a second time she slapped her forehead, 'Oh Eilistraee, I am so STUPID!' Her eyelids dropped halfway down, her lips moved in silent incantation while a soft purple hue seeped from under her skin and clothes. In a matter of seconds her hands and feet were coated in a soft purple light. Opening her eyes again Will grinned and simply walked onto the doorway, 'You got to love Spider Walk!'

-----Destiny commands All-----

The same continued for several rooms as Will slowly made her way through the gigantic structure. None of the riddles had been actually challenging, most had been of physical nature but Will admitted that they were very well suited for a normally fragile Arcane Caster. Seeing that she was also physically trained made most riddles rather easy for her. She had yet to come across anyone else but she wouldn't complain just yet. It just meant she could measure her strength.

This room again had been rather easy. In the middle of the room had been a balance with seven trays and a whole lot of weights. The task was easy to decipher: balance everything out to open the door. It had taken Will the better half of an hour to place all weights correctly and it had resulted in a thin layer of sweat coating her ashen skin.

Wiping two drops of sweat from her right brow Will grinned as the doorways opened. 'I have been in here for nearly four hours by now and have gone through around twenty rooms. I think I am around a fourth or a third way to my target.'

Will absentminded approached the doorway downwards and was about to cast her Spider Walk yet again when suddenly the room seemed to glow and the doorway snapped shut in a split second.

She froze in mid-incantation only to stare at the closed doorway her mind going neatly along the line of 'What the Fuck?!'.

"_Maskan! Gaend! Oira!__" _[Elven: "Fire! Burn! Eternal!"]

Will spun around towards the voice behind her and her eyes widened. She stared straight at a massive fireball that swiftly closed in on her.

Her eyes went past the fire to take in the caster as she threw her body left to evade the flames. The fireball flew past her and slammed into the stone wall and vanished in a small explosion.

Will swiftly rolled onto her knees before spring back on her feet. Her eyes scanned the room and swiftly fell on the attacker. Her eyes narrowed, her lips were drawn in a vicious snarl, "YOU!"

Opposite of the young Drow stood one of the few people she could would openly admit to hating: Uriah Black.

The young man smirked darkly at the Drow, a new fireball floating over his right hand. "How I have been waiting for this you little slut," he hissed while his eyes sparked in the light of the flames. With a flick of his wrist he send the Fireball spell flying towards Will.

The young Drow was easily able to sidestep the spell, still seething on the inside. When she had learned her spells she had always made sure that she knew ALL there was to each spell. But the Warmage before her clearly cared little about it, his chopped up incantation and bad elven grammar were a testament to that.

It seemed that the young Black was only a one trick pony as he kept trying to fry Will with one Fireball after the other. 'Oh come on now! I expected a decent fight,' lamented Will in her mind. It was strange how.... weak the other teen seemed to be, even though he had more years of teaching under his belt than her.

'Enough of this! I cannot waste my energy like this!' Dodging yet another Fireball with but a mere step to the side Will went on the offensive. Her eyes fixed Uriah while she pointed her right arm at him, fingers turned into a fist except for her index and middle finger which were aimed at his eyes. "_Oloth, Nym'uer ussta lar,"_ she said in a dark voice. [Drow: "Darkness, Hear my call"]

Instantly a black mist surrounded her hand before it disappeared.

"RARGH! YOU BITCH! YOU FILTHY WHORE! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME!?"

Uriah was clutching his hands to is face, covering his eyes. Black mist was slowly flowing from under his hands and Will smirked.

It was a natural ability of all Drow to blind their foe with a small spark of arcane or divine power every Drow possessed. While the chances of success were about a coin toss if it work it would stay in effect for a long time.

Will was silently walking circles around the cursing boy, drawing slightly closer with each step. She observed how Uriah removed his hands from his face, reaching out like a blind. His eyes looked perfectly fine except for the thin black mist that covered them.

"WHERE ARE YOU YOU CURSED BITCH?! COME OUT! COME OUT OR I WILL MAKE THE WHORE OF A BITCH YOU CALL MISTRESS PAY FOR WHAT YOU DID TO ME!!"

Will's blood froze in her veins before her lips were drawn up into a vicious snarl. 'How DARE that cretin!' She may not be on good terms with her mistress right now but that didn't stop her.

Instinctively her Eldritch power flowed into her hands and coated them in a layer of purple light. Slowly she walked up to the blinded boy and a rather pointed canine tooth sparked from between her red lips. "Say goodnight asshole," hissed the girl before she struck.

With perfect precision the back of her hand impacted with his face, the blow empowered by the Eldritch essence. She could easily hear the snapping of bones and it brought a slight sneer onto her lips.

The boy slammed into one of the walls and let out a second cry of pain. "You Whore! You will pay for this! You filthy little slut!" How he could speak with a broken jaw was beyond Will but she didn't care. All she cared about was hurting the bastard for what he had said.

Slowly she walked up to him, not making a single sound. The predator in her blood had awoken and was in charge of her movements. She stood at arms length before the wheezing boy, her red eyes glowing softly. Raising her left hand high she took careful aim and brought it down.

Again flesh met leather as she backhanded his other face half, launching him into the middle of the room. Again the sound of snapping bones was heard in the room as the other half of his jaw snapped clean. Only howls came from his throat as he tried to keep his jaw in place.

Will stared him down with anger burning in her eyes. Raising her left hand she formed a fist except for her index finger. The glow around her hand detached itself, forming into an only marble-sized orb floating above her nail. With a flick of her wrist she send the orb flying and it hit its target dead center: the punk's temple.

His head snapped around, his eyes widened and a new scream threatened to rip past his vocal cords before his whole body slumped.

Will smirked in satisfaction. 'Worked like a charm.' She had long since assumed that she could give her Eldritch Blasts the same effect as a harsh blow to the temple which would knock most people out in a matter of moments and she had been right. 'If course, if I had been wrong he would be dead.... not that it would matter.'

Suddenly the walls started to glow in a strange orange light that swiftly grew too bright for Will to keep her eyes open. Raising her arm to additionally shield her sensitive eyes she waited until she felt it safe to look up again.

Slowly cracking one eye open she saw that the walls no longer glowed. Looking around she swiftly tried to find any changes and was swift to find the one and only: Uriah's body was gone. 'Guess that is the measure the Oktáedron takes when someone gets knocked out.'

Looking over the floor Will saw that the doorway was open again and she let out a sigh. "Finally," she muttered as she walk to the passage. "Now I ca-" She was cut off as the doorway snapped shut yet again. "Oh COME ON," screamed Will, swiftly spinning around to look for the next one to take down. But she saw no one.

She looked left and right, up and down, front and behind in fear that someone had entered under an Invisibility spell but then suddenly her gaze fell on.... a table and chair. On the table stood a pitcher with what seemed to be water, a plate with a few slices of bread and a bit smoked meat. 'Well, the Lady DID say we would get supplied every four hours.....' Deciding to not take any chances Will sat down, going over replenishing her reserves. 'Wonder what else will happen in here......'

-----Destiny commands All-----

CUT. COPY. ARCHIVE.

first thing first: the tittle of the band and song "Scorpions - Send me an Angel". Google or YouTube it.

Now, the Arcane Thunder has started; a massive maze from another dimension filled with riddles and unfriendly people. Sounds just like what Will needs to let off steam.

if you have trouble imagining the Oktáedron: take two normal, four-sided Pyramids, place the square sides against each other and place the object on a pyramid tip.

Now for the Elven translation: it is a bastardized version of Sindarin and Quenya, the most popular dialects in Fearûn.

Again i ask you for your take on Raven, why you like/dislike him and why/if you are happy to see him gone.

That is it for today. Until next time when we return to Will and her quest to prove herself and her power.

- Nelo Akuma


	22. Call to Arms, Part 2

Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen.

I am truly and utterly sorry for the **extrem **delay in my posting schedule.

I have many good reasons, some of which I will impart on you but if you want the short versions: life happened.

Long version: the first thing that happened was a larger than expected workload in late April last year as well as several issues on the family side. Then in middle of May the PC I used to type my stories decided to utterly die on me and take over 90 percent of my files with it. Spent a lot of money on recovering all the data I could. Next came June and a forced break of nearly two months due to me landing my ass in jail (being innocent I might add). Then came August and I had to straighten out my life again what took priority over anything else. Then soon came the new year and I found myself only with a very rough draft of the latest chapter. New year hit us and I FINALLY found the time to sit down and go back to typing.

This chapter is not as long as I would have wanted it to, not by a long shot, but I think I owe those loyal readers an update and an explanation.

Now, enough of the long winded explanations and me begging for your forgiveness; let's get back to the troubled child.

-Destiny commands All-

The stadium was swiftly filling up again after the lunch break, people pushing each other around to get back into their seats after getting food and drinks, placing new bets or checking on their old ones.

Weira and Zaden were seated in their 'private booth', a small balcony around the middle of the Oktáedron with a perfect view into the maze. In addition, they had one of the latest arcane inventions at hand: the Scryer.

The Scryer was a runed tablet, two feet on two feet in size. Above it floated a holographic image of the Oktáedron, small red points noting the exact location of every contestant. Touching one of the points called forth a small image of a picture and some data on the contestant, such as name, age, birth place, Classes, the number of rooms they had passed so far, what kind of rooms they had been; riddles, physical labor, combat; who their opponents had been or what riddles they had solved.

It was also possible to compare the stats of several contestants or even be shown the route they had taken since entering the Oktáedron.

Weira right now was nervously studying the image, looking at the stats of Elyon, Taranee and Will. Will had passed the most rooms and most had needed physical labor; Elyon had beaten the most contestants on her path but was still in pretty good shape; Taranee had passed a mix of riddles and contestants but she had slowly been running out of spells and the break had been a blessing to her.

The Sorceress didn't know who to cheer for. Naturally she should cheer for her daughter but Will had been the outsider in this contest and so far she was proving to be a very dependable fighter and Taranee was clearly a well-versed young Wizardess and she deserved to go far in this as well. It was just not possible to decide who she should cheer for.

"Weira love, you need to relax," said Zaden softly, trying to calm his nervous wife.

"Relax? RELAX? How can I relax when I know that two young people down there might clash. One of which is out for the other's BLOOD!" Weira was borderline hysterical, her normally smooth skin wrinkled in worry and fear.

Slowly Zaden stepped behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders and squeezing softly. "Try not to think about it too much love. While Will is still filled with anger and rage I still firmly believe that she will overcome those emotions and accept Taranee back as her friend."

"You haven't seen her train herself into the ground," mumbled Weira, trying to relax even the slightest bit into his hands. "She has been studying without a break besides her handful of hours rest each night. She has absorbed spells at a rate that makes me wonder how she is able to keep track of each of them. She has even learned a few low level Ranger spells and you KNOW how hard it can be to learn divine spells without guidance!"

Now the last part was new to Zaden and he had to admit that this didn't sound all that well now. Slowly he turned his face upwards as the Oktáedron began to glow slightly, signaling the end of the break.

-Destiny commands All-

Will was sitting with her back against one of her room's walls, eyes closed and her legs in the lotus position. She was resting her mind, recharging what energy she could during this nice short break. While she hadn't been drained she sure had used some energy with the mostly physical challenges.

A slight chime was heard in air and Will slowly opened her eyes. The gateways leading in and out of the room were glowing and opening again. "Finally this can go on," muttered Will, standing up and dusting off her butt out of habit.

Letting her eyes travel through the room once more to make sure she hasn't forgotten anything she moved for the gateway in the ground, silently casting a new Spider Walk.

Entering the next room Will was clearly confused: it was totally empty...

Scanning the stone surfaces with a critical eye Will couldn't make out anything that looked like a switch or another kind of mechanism. Stepping towards the center of the room Will wondered what she should do in here actually.

A sudden shiver moved down Will's neck, causing all her muscles to tense as she spun around. And what stood behind her was causing her mouth to go dry: a sphinx.

With a lioness' body, eagle wings and a humanoid head the monster stood well over three times taller than Will herself. Swallowing dryly, Will moved very slowly backwards, her hands drifting towards the handle of her sword. She knew that the sphinx as a magical creature would probably be impervious to her magic so her sword was the only chance she had to beat this monster.

Suddenly the sphinx's eyes focused on Will and the young Drow felt herself starting to sweat. Those burning black eyes were slowly starting to drive her insane. Then the sphinx's lips parted and a deep and deadly voice filled the room.

"Which creature in the morning goes on four legs, at mid-day on two, and in the evening upon three, and the more legs it has, the weaker it be?"

Will stared at the creature as her arms fell slack at her side. "What," she whispered more to herself but it seemed like the sphinx heard her anyways.

"Which creature in the morning goes on four legs, at mid-day on two, and in the evening upon three, and the more legs it has, the weaker it be?"

Will slumped down on her ass, her hands landing in her lap while she stared blankly at the sphinx. "So... I have to solve this riddle to move on?" Without a word the sphinx simply nodded her head.

Placing her head in her hands Will let out a frustrated sigh. This was something she was NOT good at. Give her something to do with her hands and she would probably get it done in no time.

But this was something where her training couldn't help her. She had trained in everything but riddle solving and this probably was one of the most well known riddles. Not that many knew the answer but enough people knew in passing about the riddle of the sphinxes.

Rubbing her temples Will tried to work with what she had. 'Damn it all! I have no idea what this is supposed to mean!' What kind of creature could this be? None she knew about behaved ANYTHING like this.

'How can you lose two legs and then grow a new one in only the span of one day,' Will though, furiously dragging her fingers through her hair again and again. 'There is no way such a creature exists!'

Growling to herself Will started to go over each creature she knew that walked on 4 legs. 'Any canine, feline, pig, deer, rodent, lizard and what-not goes on four legs... add in other creatures likes dragons, griffons, several types of golems...'

This was not helping her at all! 'Eilistraee help me, what is the meaning of this...'

But then her head snapped upwards, a new idea suddenly blossoming in her mind. Turning slowly towards the sphinx Will choose her words wisely. "You are what most know as a gynosphinx, are you not?"

Slowly the sphinx nodded her head, and her face clearly showed her curiosity why this would matter.

"Would you be willing to barter the solution in exchange for a puzzle that I think you will find very hard to solve?"

Now that got the sphinx's attention. Like all of her kind she adored riddles, puzzles and any kind of mental challenge. It had been a long while since anyone had been able to present her with a challenge and she would happily trade one for the passage. Nodding her head she waited for the problem the young Drow would present her.

"Are you familiar with the man commonly know as 'Dracos'?"

Shaking her head the sphinx signaled she had not heard of him. Will slowly grinned; if she knew how to word it she would get through this anyway. "Dracos is a man that people say has roamed this realm of existance for several decades, way longer than any normal Human would be able to. Also there are rumors that he has been taught how to fight with a weapon by the Goddess Eilistraee herself."

The eyes of the sphinx widened slightly. This Human the Drow spoke of was already intriguing her to no end and it seemed like the small female would only add more to the person.

"It is also said that he was in Neverwinter during the Wailing Death and managed to bring down the people behind it all. At the same time it is said that he was part of the Harbourman's group that defeated the King of Shadows."

The sphinx could only stare at the small female as she set a puzzle before her that even she would need several Human life-times to solve.

"Does this man pose enough of a challenge to you to balance out with letting me pass," asked Will, trying to keep the desperation from her voice. Yes, she had done some serious research on the man Dracos in the past several months and while she had told the sphinx all she knew, Will KNEW that there was a lot more to the legend that still walked through Fearûn.

"It does female. It poses enough of a challenge that I shall even give you the solution to my riddle."

Will was shocked. She was getting way more out of this than she had ever dared to hope for.

"The solution is: Man."

And without any sign of ANYTHING the sphinx was gone.

Will sat on the ground and stared into nothing as the word of the sphinx echoed in her mind: 'Man.'

'Of course... I took everything literally... Morning means being a baby, crawling on all fours... Mid-Day means a grown adult, walking on two feet... and evening means an old person, walking with a cane... It all makes sense now...'

Still stunned by the oh so obvious solution will slowly looked around, trying to see where a new gateway was to continue on. 'left, right and straight ahead; that is not counting the gate I used to enter in the roof...' Closing her eyes Will wondered where she should head when she felt something.

It was like a silent calling...

A pulse of energy that beckoned her to follow...

Opening her red eyes slowly she looked towards the gateway on her right.

She was torn: keep heading for the center or follow her instincts calling her?

Going with what she had used all her life Will moved through the right gateway.

-Destiny commands All-

Nearly a dozen rooms later Will was panting badly.

Blood stained her coat and armor in several places. Her sword, held in her right hand was also dripping with blood.

Her coat had several holes, singed patches and the hem had been torn dozens of times.

Leaning against the closest wall Will let out several deep breaths, brushing the sweat from her forehead. 'Eilistraee be blessed...'

In the last room she had come upon a stand-off between three humans. As soon as the three had spotted her all animosity between the humans was forgotten as they all jumped her.

Will had tried to restrain herself but in the end three dead bodies lay at her feet, their bodies covered in cuts and burned skin. Precise cuts at throats or well placed stabs at their chest had killed them but Will wasn't left unhurt.

One had been proficient with a sword and had managed to land several dozen hits on her. Her armor had protected her but Will knew she would be covered in bruises for a few days. Another one had used a bow but luckily he wasn't even half the marksmen Taranee was.

The last one, a young Wizardess of 10 summers at best had been the greatest challenge. Despite her age the girl had let loose rains of magic at the Drow and only her good instincts, athletic movements and a well placed Darkness had saved her.

Will ran a hand over her face, wiping away a single tear that rolled down her cheeks. 'Enough... I need a break or I will be in no condition to do anything...'

Trying to remember how much time had passed since the last food break Will could only hope the next break would come soon. "Maybe it is even late enough for the nighttime shutdown," muttered Will as she wiped the blood off her sword before sheathing the weapon.

Closing her eyes Will concentrated a bit and sure enough she could feel the beckoning pulse one more time. It had grown stronger with each room she passed through and by now it was so strong Will could actually feel it all the time.

'What is this calling... What is it that draws me?'

Suddenly a massive shiver went through the structure and Will shot to her feet, looking around in panic.

She was NOT ready to face another challenge just yet!

But suddenly... all the gates into the room slammed shut. Will's muscles relaxed slightly as she saw a small table with food and water appear in the center of the room.

Swiftly charging for the table Will wolfed the food down without actually registering what she ate.

-Destiny commands All-

Weira was gnawing on her nails, staring down on the Scryer with a worried face. "What is the meaning of this," she whispered to no one in particular. "In the start Will has been rushing straight for the center but now... The last few hours, she has been charging through rooms that lead her away from the center..."

"Maybe she has just been confused," said Zaiden lowly, hoping to be able to calm her down.

"No. You know her sense of orientation is sublime. She wouldn't get thrown off that easily unless... Oh Selûne!"

Weira shot out of her seat, gripping the edges of the Scryer for support as she stared down on the object with wide eyes.

Zaiden was right next to her in a matter of moments, "What is the matter?"

"Taranee! She is charging right for Taranee's position!" "WHAT?"

How was that possible? Any magic tracker Will could have somehow placed on the Elf would have been destroyed the moment they set foot into the Oktáedron.

"I don't know how but since she changed course she has been steadily getting closer to Taranee's position! It's like something is suddenly directing her," cried Weira, slowly getting hysterical.

As the last room had shown them, Will was clearly able to slit a throat in cold blood if the option presented itself.

Should those two teens clash now... Weira shuddered at the possibilities.

When the Oktáedron went into lock-down Weira let out a deep breath before a new worry set onto her face. 'If the two had met now things would have been less heated... they were both exhausted and tired. Now they will meet when they have recovered... Oh Selûne, please, I beg you: do not let them meet!'

-Destiny commands All-

Will was sitting against a wall, her mind trying to focus and gather some more energy. It was clear that the night break was still a good while off and she still needed to be aware of anything for a while longer.

Her heart was slowly beating, nearly in sync with the pulses of energy she felt.

'What is this? What is this power beckoning me to follow it? It has steered me back onto the path to the center a while ago... Is the source also drawing closer to the center? Is the source maybe a living being? Or maybe it is an object in the possession of someone...'

Shaking her head slowly she tried to force such thoughts away. 'I need to focus, gather as much energy as I can to make sure I can go on...'

Suddenly a chime filled the air and the doors opened. Slowly Will stood up and kept walking, following the calling that resonated deep within her soul.

-Destiny commands All-

Will was slowly getting worried. She had not been met with ANY kind of resistance in the past several rooms, like someone had cleared them before her.

The pulse was now so strong it was ever present in her mind.

Walking through the next gateway Will froze in her steps and a vicious snarl spread over her lips.

The blue robe burned like the sun in Will's eyes as the red started to grow darker. Blue hair glared at her, mocking her.

With a fluid motion Will drew her weapon with her right hand, sprinting forward while her left arm was coated in her Eldritch might that soon gathered around her hand.

Throwing her hand forward she let loose a massive Eldritch Blast, a scream tearing from her throat like a curse, "TARANEE!"

The young Wizardess turned around, her face paling as she recognized the voice behind her. Her brown eyes widened in pure fear as she saw the purple bolt head straight for her head.

Lunging to the left Taranee was barely able to avoid being hit square in the face. The Blast still hit her shoulder though and a small cry of pain escaped her lips as the magical energy burned through her robes in an instant, burning the skin under it.

Ducking behind one of the few pillars that stood in the room Taranee tried to even her breath and sort her thoughts. But Will wasn't giving her those precious seconds.

Will reached the pillar her prey hid behind and as soon as she was able to she sent a blind swing with her sword.

Taranee's eyes opened in shock as she saw the bladed weapon appear in her visual field, heading straight for her neck.

Throwing herself to the right yet again she was able to evade the weapon but her back was hit by some chucks of rock.

Will growled as she tore her weapon from where it carved itself into the pillar. Pointing her free hand at Taranee's back she let loose with another Blast.

Taranee cried out loudly as the energy tore into her back, obliterating the linen cloth and scorching her skin badly. Stumbling forward Taranee tried to formulate a plan to at least buy her some time.

Ignoring the pain in her back she turned around and swiftly cast her spell, "Lant ea i' Nevae !" (Fall into the Dark!)

Shadows exploded from her extended hand and swiftly filled the room with a pitch black darkness. While it wouldn't effect herself she hoped that Will would be effected.

Will cursed mentally as her vision grew dark and her eyes instantly started to glow. A dark growl escaped her lips as even her natural nigh vision only bathed the room in a slight twilight.

"Hide as much as you want but you won't escape me," barked Will as she tried to spot the Elf. Her left hand was again coated in a purple hue, the Eldritch might only waiting to be unleashed.

Taranee was breathing heavily as she tried to gather her thoughts. The worst possible opponent had shown herself to her. She knew she had done Will injustice but what else had she been supposed to do?

She watched silently how Will was trying to find her and she was glad that her spell was working. Letting out a slight breath she dared to relax slightly.

Will's eyes caught onto a faint sound and instantly her hand shot forward.

Taranee gasped as Will suddenly shot a new Blast right at her. Swifty jumping left, the young Elf had no choice anymore: she had to fight back.

Drawing a few signs into the air with her right index finger Taranee chanted lowly, "Iva dan nelin, maskan gaend." (Light shine bright, fire burn.)

Light and heat exploded from within her and expanded through the whole room.

"Ghaaa!" Will closed her eyes as a sudden flash exploded in the twilight. Seconds later a wall of fire hit her, singing her clothes, hair and skin.

Burns blistered on her cheeks and forehead, the leather of her gloves was incinerated and the hair that hang onto her forehead was burned down to the roots.

Growling darkly Will kept her eyes closed, not daring to open them after the sudden blinding light. Relying solely on her ears she hoped to not lose her prey.

Taranee winced as her burns started to act up as she prepared for the next spell. She had to keep Will away from her.

Pushing her palms together she focused her Arcane power into her hands, slowly speaking the incantation, "Rusv ndu i' andram!" (Break down the Wall!)

Thrusting her palms at Will a translucent battering ram shot from her hands and headed straight for Will.

The young Drow heard the cry and understood the words but she wasn't prepared for the sudden force slamming into her. Gasping loudly a small spray of blood escaped her lips as the ram slammed her into one of the pillars.

"Please Will! I don't want to hurt you," shouted Taranee, trying desperately to talk some sense into her friend.

"Too late for that," barked Will as she covered her eyes with her left hand. A purple glow appeared from under it and suddenly Will smirked. Removing her hand slowly she revealed burning red eyes with a purple light shining from them.

Her eyes instantly found Taranee and her grin became more vicious. "I can seeee you," she said in a sing-song voice before lunging for Taranee.

The young Elf could only stare for a moment before Will was upon her.

Will grinned madly as she raised her sword high above her left shoulder. With a cry she let the weapon fly into a strong arc.

Taranee knew she couldn't dodge at this distance and the only chance she had...

Will growled as Taranee raised her bow in hopes of blocking the blow.

The metal was easily able to cut through the wooden weapon.

Taranee cried out loudly as the tip of the sword cut into her skin, tearing through her robe as if it wasn't present. The cut went from her right shoulder, over her chest nearly to her left hip.

The cut wasn't very deep but still deep enough to draw a good amount of blood.

Stumbling backwards Taranee placed her right hand on her chest, hoping to stop at least some of the blood.

Suddenly a heavy blow landed against her cheek and threw her backwards. She cried out as the skin split open, shedding even more blood.

"IT'S YOUR FAULT! IT IS YOUR FAULT HE LEFT ME BEHIND!"

Will's roar of anger was accompanied by a new, Eldritch powered blow towards Taranee's face. This one caught her slightly under her chin, snapping her head backwards.

"YOU TOOK HIM AWAY FROM ME!"

She stabbed at the Elf with her sword, penetrating deep into her right thigh.

Taranee's worldly cry filled the room and it was like music in Will's ears.

"YOU DESTROYED EVERYTHING!"

Ripping her weapon free Will used the momentum to slam the handle into her stomach. Taranee bent forward, all the air pulled from her lungs at an instant and blood trickled from between her lips.

Will pulled her left fist back and slammed it into Taranee's face, breaking her nose and dropping the girl on the ground.

"YOU TOOK AWAY THE MAN WHO COULD HAVE BEEN MY FATHER!"

Slapping the Elf across the face Will straddled her stomach before grabbing Taranee by the throat and squeezing tightly.

"IT IS ALL YOUR FAULT!"

Taranee grasped onto Will's wrist, trying to lessen the pressure on her throat but the other girl was stronger, much stronger.

Will raised her sword high above them, pointing the tip down at the other Elf.

A maniac grin split her face into an evil grimace as she glared down at Taranee.

Brown eyes full of pain and regret met with red filled with hate, rage and sorrow.

Suddenly the time seemed to freeze for Will.

Nothing moved.

All stood still.

She could see Taranee's face clearly.

She could see all the emotions on it clear as the sun on a cloudless day.

"_Is this what you want?"_ A soft voice filled her mind, pushing against the dark walls of rage.

'Go away!'

"_Is this the path you will choose for yourself?"_

'Leave me alone!'

"_Will you choose blood and death?"_

'What are you? Who are you to judge me?'

"_Will you give in? Will you become...?"_

'LEAVE ME BE!'

"_Is that all there is left in your heart? Rage and Hatred? Murder and Vengeance?" _The wall cracked slightly.

'…..'

"_Is this all you can do anymore? Kill and slaughter? Ravage and murder?"_

'….'

"_Or is there more..."_

Slowly time seemed to move again.

Sword still raised Will stared down into Taranee's terrified face.

Her eyes stung.

Her arm was shaking.

Her shoulders shook slowly.

Tears started to slide down her cheeks.

Her sword fell to the ground with a loud clatter.

Her grip on her throat lessened slowly.

"No..." Her voice was broken, shaking and unsteady.

Slowly she fell forward, their foreheads meeting.

"I can't do it... No matter how much I hate you right now... I cannot kill you..."

Slowly her arms snaked around the other girl, pulling them flush together. "Forgive me... please... forgive me Taranee..."

The bluenette could barely raise her left arm and place it around the shorter girl. "It's... okay..."

Will's body was shaking with heavy sobs as she slowly sat up, starring down at the damage she had done to her friend. She winced badly as she saw the massive cut going over her friend's front.

'Please Eilistraee, forgive this misguided daughter and grant me the strength.' Pleading with her goddess Will placed her left hand softly on the cut.

Nearly instantly a white glow flowed from her hand and seeped into Taranee's body. The Elf gasped as her skin and muscles started to knit back together.

Over the next minutes Will spent all her remaining energy on healing her friend. She had done so much damage to her that Taranee would still need to see a professional healer. But it was enough to stop most of the visual damage.

After both girls were mostly fixed up again Will started to help Taranee stand, pulling one of the Elf's arms over her shoulders. "What are you doing Will," muttered Taranee tiredly.

Will looked at her slowly, "The center of this place is in the next room. We can make it together..."

While Taranee shook her head she still walked with Will. "No. You deserve it more. You did your best and worked so hard."

Will glared shortly at the Elf but there was no force behind it, "I don't. We do this together or not at all."

Both stepped through the last gateway and entered the center of the massive structure.

The room was large, the ceiling was around 60 feet high. Directly in the middle was a large platform was risen, made of white marble. On the platform stood a filigree silver-white statue of an elven woman. She was kneeling, her arms and hands raised in prayer while cupping a massive orb. The orb itself seemed colorless but on the inside... dozens of silver, red and pink wisps and sparks were interwoven with each other.

The two girls were slowly walking closer to the platform, their eyes transfixed on the floating orb. Their hands reached out for the object, quivering and shaking as they got closer and closer.

-Destiny commands All-

A group of over dozen hooded people rode on black steeds through the gates Metamoora. Each one's features was totally hidden in the hood and cloaks as they rode down the streets like the God of Murder himself was chasing them.

"Are you sure this information is valid," barked the one in the lead, his voice dark and demanding.

A female snort filled with contempt and loathing was his answer, "Who do you take me for? Of course my information is valid! If it were not the Master wouldn't have sent me, the little girl and Half-Elf."

"Watch it," retorted a heated female voice, young and bubbly but clearly unhappy. "You call me little girl one more time and I will cook you from the inside out, got that Viconia?"

"Calm yourself child," came a smooth female voice, even if it held a hidden edge.

"Yes, I would appreciate it if you would lower your voice as it is grinding on my nerves even worse than the incompetent fools," sneered a sophisticated male voice.

"SILENCE! All of you," barked the man, his dark voice cutting them off instantly.

"Listen up, this is going to be big. Jaheira, Viconia, Kaelyn, Sand: you ensure that everyone lives; hold nothing back."

"Yes," answered three female and one male voice lowly.

"Khelgar, Neeshka, Tomi, Aribeth: you four take on any ground attackers."

"Finally another fine battle," rumbled a dark belly voice, laughter soon following.

"Shut it runty dwarf or I will cut you even shorter," snapped a female voice, young and sharp.

"No need to fight you two, keep your heat for the enemy," said a high pitched male voice, trying to cut in.

"All three of you stay calm and be silent," interrupted a smooth but cold voice, calling the three to silence.

"Thank you Aribeth," muttered the Man as he turned to another three. "Qara, Imoen, Sharwyn: clear the air. Nail them hard and painful."

"Yes, they shall feel what it means to mess with me," said a snide voice of a female as she clearly was lusting to unleash whatever she had.

"Calm down Qara or you will end up as a snack sooner that you would like," spoke the the bubbly female voice from before.

"As you wish M'Lord," said the third voice, also female but hers was warm and soothing.

Turning to the last person riding just next to him the Man spoke a last time. "You already know what to do: go in hard and fast and get them all out of there before things escalate."

The last person simply nodded as they all cut a corner sharp.

Straight ahead of them rose the massive structure of the arena and already they could see something in the sky.

"What are you going to do," questioned Viconia, her voiced filled with genuine wonder.

The Man's body seemed to shake slightly as if laughing. The hood slid back the tiniest bit and revealed two glowing red eyes of molten lava. "I will do what I do best: raise Hell in Heaven."

A massive roar suddenly filled the air as the sky ripped open and a green light filled the city.

"And thus it begins," said the Man cryptically as the whole group broke apart in groups, blowing down different roads.

-Destiny commands All-

And thus concludes today's look into Will's life. I know it is way shorter than anything that you would deserve for your patience but it is the best I can give you right now.

A few of you might recognize a few of the names I have dumped into your laps but please, do not use their full names in a review: it would spoil a lot of the possible Aha-moments later on. If you wish to question me about specific names and their reason drop me a PM and I will get back to you ASAP.

Like the decision was made in chapters long, long ago in a galaxy fa- ... sorry, wrong universe.

Anyway, like decided a while ago the translations for elven tongue or other foreign languages will come directly after being used unless I deem it neccessary that the full meaning stays hidden.

Spells are not truly given definite names on a purpose, since those are situational spells that will most likely not be seen as often as other things. Important spells (like most of Will's Invocations) will be named and will come around more often.

I cannot give you a definite posting schedule since life still is rather hectic but i will try to make the next wait not as long as this one. Until the next time we follow our favorite red head.

- Nelo Akuma


	23. Call to Arms, Part 3

Good Morning Ladies and Gentlemen.

I am truly sorry that this took so ong to get out but... well, life happened yet again. For a good year now I have been a trainee to become a hotels expert (very rough translation of the position) and in the last half year it has really caught up to me with myself landing in more... damanding departments. add in the inability to recover ANYTHING from my crashed hard-drive I also spent a good while recovering my resources from various places, some maybe not 100 percent legal.

I actually pumped this out in the last 3 hours after i scrapped it about what felt like a million times. Right now it is probably in the best state I can produce right now and keep in mind, it still is un-beta-ed so you are probably bound to find a ton of spelling mistakes.

Do not expect me to be able to pump out chapters in a "2 a month" ration I had going in the start. I actually have to buy a new laptop since this ones lid broke off and is only holding together due to the wonder that is called duct tape. Add in one more published story and about a dozen other projects (one of them being another massive WITCH crossover) I have running as well as "normal life" and you get a pretty damn full schedule. I will try to solve issues and not let you wait another half year.

Now, enough bla-bla and on with the action.

-Destiny commands All-

Will and Taranee crashed to the ground as the whole structure around them shook with a force beyond anything.

Dust fell from the ceiling as well a slight rubble.

"What is going on here," shouted Taranee, fear creeping into her voice as she braced herself against one of the pillars that kept the ceiling up high.

"I have no idea," answered Will as she tore her sword from its sheath, even though the movement pained her shoulder badly.

Another tremor shook the building as more and more dust and rubble fell down, soon joined by junks of rock and stone. Will threw herself to the side as a massive piece of stone crashed into the very spot she had just been in.

Suddenly the ceiling began to crack and a strange twilight flooded the room.

Both girls looked up and what they saw made them freeze.

Above them, was a bloody maw of dozens of sharp teeth!

Skin scales framed the maw as they saw the remains of a humanoid being drip from between the teeth.

Another tremor rocked the structure and the hole in the ceiling grew.

Both girls stared with wide eyes as they realized what they were staring at: the hungry maw of a grown green dragon!

-Destiny commands All-

"What is this madness," roared Zaden as he stepped before his wife, staring into the sky that seemed to spit out a whole flight of green dragons. Dozens and dozens of dragons filled the sky and descended onto the city like vultures on a corpse.

"I do not know," shouted Weira as she reached for her staff. She could only watch as one dragon after the other descended onto the city.

One of the larger ones crashed hard and deep into the Oktáedron, digging towards the center of the structure.

Dozens of the smaller dragons instantly started to pounce on the spectators.

"Zaden! We have to protect the civilians," roared Weira as she reached deep within her and summoned her magic.

But before her husband could respond something happened that made them freeze.

Hooded people started race through the frenzied crowd, racing TOWARDS the flight of green dragons that had broken forth from the tear in the sky. Several brandished weapons of different kinds while a few clearly called forth the power of Arcane.

Four of them were quick to engage the dragons that were already in striking range from the ground. The two smaller people actually jumped onto a dragon together, one cutting away with what seemed to be daggers or short swords while the other actually attacked the face of the dragon with its bare fists. The other two were keeping their distance slightly but were clearly drawing the attention of the dragons away from the fleeting crowd.

Another group of four kept their distance, all of them standing tall. Three of them went about guiding the fleeing people outside while ever so often the soft light associated with healing magic could be seen. The fourth person seemed to be a watcher, ever so often an Arcane spell launching at a dragon that came too close.

Yet another group of three was soon found on the roofs of the stadium. Two of them were clearly powerful magi as they threw immense numbers of potent Arcane spells at the air-born dragons and soon heavily injured dragons fell from the sky, crashing into the city and the stadium. The third person send arrows into the sky with deadly precision, piercing weak points or soft areas like eyes.

A new roar filled the sky, this one louder and more guttural than anything before it.

People looked up in the sky and saw something that made many fear even more for their lives: a red dragon was swiftly approaching the stadium, its size stating that it was old enough to vanquish most foes. But instead of joining the green dragons it dove down toward the center of the stadium, straight for the Oktáedron. It attacked the green dragon that was still busy digging into the structure, slamming into the other beast with its body and causing both to tumble down into the stadium.

Weira and Zaiden shared brief looks, knowing only a few people who could manage to gather so many clearly formidable fighters against such a force. But before they could dwell on it a roar right in front of them caught them off guard. One of the younger dragons had scampered its way up the ranks and was now grinning at them with beastial fury. Stepping in front if his wife Zaiden brandished his sword and shield while Weira raised her staff, wisps of Arcane magic dancing around her.

-Destiny commands All-

Will and Taranee were running behind a pillar each, debris falling from the ceiling. A massive tailoned claw was reaching into the Oktáedron, searching for the humanoid filling the maze held.

"We have to get out of here," screamed Taranee, nearly hysterical with fear and pain.

"And how should we do that," shouted Will back, only slightly more calm than her friend. She knew they had no chance at all if they fought the magical beast. They were tired and wounded and even if they had been fresh they were just younglings of their classes.

The claw moved through the room, shattering pillars and walls all around them as the whole structure seemed to weaken drastically.

"We have to at least get out of this room," bellowed Taranee over the grumbling sounds of stone against stone.

The ceiling gave a dark groan that overpowered Will's response as it collapsed. Rock and debris fell onto the floor and several pillars collapsed. One formed a kind of bridge leading away from the dragon and into higher rooms.

"UP," shouted Will as she pointed at the pathway. Taranee was too frightened to refuse and both of them quickly ran for the pillar. They dodged falling debris and the random swipes of the dragon, Will displaying once more the unnatural grace her race had been gifted with.

Shoving Taranee on the pillar first Will looked back at the dragon and her red orbs met with a sickly green one. Time seemed to freeze for the young Drow as she stared into the eye of the dragon, sensing the immense and ancient power of the being.

The eye narrowed before it vanished fully, shortly replaced with a blue sky. But then a green blur was seen.

"WILL!"

Taranee's desperate shout pulled Will out of her stupor and she quickly jumped after her friend. Not a second later and a scaled tail slammed into the room, obliterating most of it as well as the lower parts of the pillar Will was still using to reach the upper level.

The pillar lost its hold and started to drop, soon the angle soon too steep to climb. Reacting on instinct Will was swift to cast what have become one of her most used Invocations, Spiderwalk, and swiftly crawled up the remainders of the stony support.

Just in the nick of time Will jumped off it and landed on the floor with a loud thud while the pillar fully vanished into the dust below.

"Quick! We have to move," pleaded Taranee and she pulled on Will's arm, nearly dislocating the girls shoulder in an attempt to get her up.

Shaking the cobwebs from her mind Will stumbled to her feet. A new tremor rocked the structure and send both girls sprawling onto the ground again. Looking up Will saw how a massive block of stone dislodged itself from the ceiling and headed down to them.

Reacting without thought Will raised her hands at the falling boulder and send a massive Eldritch Blast at it, hitting it dead center and reducing the boulder to dust and pebbles.

With grace belying the situation Will was back on her feet and next to Taranee, lifting the dark skinned girl into her arms. She was surprisingly light to Will as she rushed into the next room.

Taranee could only hold onto her savior in desperation as she saw the world rush by.

Will tried to get higher and higher in the structure, hoping that near the top they would be able to be rescued.

Nearing the top they two girls came into a large, hall-like room and what they saw made both of their blood freeze.

A massive hole has been torn into the structure and they could see that the dragon from before had been waiting for them. But it was not alone. One of its smaller cousins was waiting for them as well, small enough to fit into the room and have space to maneuver around.

Will slowly let Taranee down as both girls prepared themselves for the end. There was no chance that they could outrun two dragons.

The larger one was about to open its maw and send an attack their was when it was ripped from sight, its form replaced by a blur of red.

The structure shook once more as something heavy impacted with the ground and the girls as well as the smaller dragon stumbled from the tremors.

The dragon was the first to regain its footing and a malicious grin spread over its maw. The girls had fallen into striking range and it raised its left claw to tear them apart.

Will and Taranee had landed next to each other and right now where using each other as a crutch to stand up. They sensed the displacement of air and looked up, their eyes falling on the descending claw that spelled certain death for them. They suddenly clung to each other in fear, not wanting to be alone in their last moments.

The claw was barely a few feet from them when a blur appeared and the dragon howled in pain.

Looking up they saw a glowing blade stuck into the dragons arm, arching with purple lightening. The dragon stumbled backwards from the pain, trying to rip the offending weapon out with its maw. But it couldn't reach it in time.

Purplish-black light filled the room from the ceiling along with a angry hissing sound in the air. Every eye was drawn to the source of the sound and light and they saw a robed person crouched against the ceiling. In its right hand the person held what seemed to be purple-black lightening plucked straight from the sky.

Will's eyes widened as she saw how the person dropped from they ceiling, the wind knocking back the hood of the robe and revealing a sea of black hair and burning red eyes. What seemed to take minutes actually happened in the blink of an eye.

The person had smashed the lightening straight into the dragon's skull, the arm penetrating deep into the brain of the creature and the lightning frying it from the inside out. Swiftly the person ripped its bloody and smoking arm from the carcase and spun around, facing the two terrified girls.

"What the bloody fuck are you waiting for? An freaking invitation? Get your ass into gear!"

The person's voice was male and demanding, holding a level of rage that was rarely felt from a humanoid.

Will and Taranee though didn't hear him, too shocked and stunned by his looks as they knew him. They knew him and thought he would be gone for good. For right in front of them... stood Raven.

-Destiny commands All-

"AHAHAHAHA! THIS IS FUN!"

"Would you shut up runty dwarf? We got more important things to do than hear you laugh," bellowed the young Tiefling while she spun on the balls of her feet, dodging a charge from a dragon and cutting open its side with her twin kukri.

The Dwarf in question only graced her with a grunt as he stepped into the path of the very same dragon and raised his bare fists. Both glowed shortly before he simultaneously slammed them into the face of the dragon, a shockwave moving through it and it's brain taking a forceful exit through the back of its skull.

A defiant roar came from the side and both fighters turned only to see another of their companions cut the throat of a dragon to shreds. The bruenette, long-haired elven woman brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes, her Longswords gleaming with the spilled blood. "Stop it both of you Neeshka, Khelgar."

"Yes Lady Aribeth," mumbled the Tiefling, her tail swishing behind her angrily. She did not like the fallen, redeemed and fallen again Paladin but she could not argue the Elf was powerful in her own right.

Assessing the situation Aribeth turned around and suddenly a dark grin adored her features. "It seems like he is about to cut loose."

Khelgar and Neeshka twisted around to stare at her and when they saw her grin they both could only shiver.

-Destiny commands All-

Sharwyn was taking careful aim with her bow before letting one of her enchanted arrows fly. It struck true into the eye of yet another dragon that dropped out of the sky, trashing madly. The Bard was careful to pick her targets, not wanting any bodies to drop on her comrades.

On her left she could see Imoen launch spell after spell at the more fare away dragons. The young archmage was seemingly tireless in her efforts of filling the skies with dying dragons.

"MUAHAHAH! BURN! BURN! BURN!"

Turning to the other female Sharwyn saw Qara send streams of flames and lightning into the sky, eyes dancing with murderous fascination and great power. Shaking her head at the unstable woman Sharwyn went back to filling the sky with her arrows, picking her targets carefully. She had no intention of letting one of the dragons drop onto a group of escapees or one of the shelters littering in the city.

"Qara I swear when this is over I will beat some restrain into you," roared Imoen while creating a massive javelin made of lightning and throwing it into the maw of a incoming dragon.

"Shut up little pet! You will be able to do no such thing," the sorceress countered before cackling manically while throwing more fire into the sky.

Feeling a shift of streams in the air Sharwyn put down her arrow and searched for the cause of this. Paling somewhat she started to stutter, drawing the attention of the other two females and causing them to freeze for a second as well.

-Destiny commands All-

"Move, move, move, move, move," bellowed Jaheira as she guided the last of the escapees out of the falling structure.

Kaylyn, the elder dove was carrying a small child as she used her wings to glide down from one of the upper rows. "Everyone above us is out," she set while setting the girl down on her own feet.

"At least one good thing," muttered the Harper while brushing her forehead. She glared at the Drow on her side with burning eyes. "You could help you know Viconia."

The Drow simply glared at the elven woman before going back to studying the nails of her right hand. "Don't make a fuzz about this. No one of importance is dying here."

"Less talking more killing," chided the snide and sarcastic voice of Sand, the former shop owner chuckling as he saw a horned and fanged rabbit hop towards him.

Jaheira roller her eyes at the antics of the other elf. "Yes Sand we KNOW that you said you could shapshift a dragon into something harmless now PLEASE kill the stupid thing before the spell wears off!"

A sneer on his lips indicated that Sand was about to execute his snide humor when all of them felt a shiver move through their bodies.

Looking into the sky three of them shrunk back while Viconia had a vicious grin on her face. "Aphyon!" [Drow: Death]

-Destiny commands All-

Dark clouds had gathered above the city, filled with lightning and roaring thunder yet no rain fell. A red dragon large enough to have its wings span over nearly a whole district of the city levitated under the rumbling dark mass.

"Re wux jaunus nomeno ui wer harkt donoap? [Draconian: Are you sure this is the right path?]

On top of the dragons head stood a hooded figure, his shoulders shaking with silent laughter and letting the hood slip backward revealing two molten orbs of lava. "I thought I would never see the day you would back down from bloodshed itov."

A dark growl rumbled in the creatures chest and the smell of sulfur filled the air. "Mobi ui thric diwhaf persvek nomeno cirau di iejir." [Draconian: There is no fun in this kind of bloodshed.]

"Enough. We can quarrel about this later itov, right now we have more pressing matters at hand."

Snorting loudly the dragon had to agree. Flapping its massive wings the dragon rose further and further until they reached the clouds and moved inside.

The Man stretched out his arms, a purple haze rising from his body. "Rosa uoi'nota khlurysten pholor nindyn naut khurzon." [Drow: Rain infernal judgment on those unworthy.]

The haze became a steady stream that dispersed into the cloud and changed its color to a blackish purple.

Seconds later and small, purple drops fell from the clouds like rain...

-Destiny commands All-

Raven had a death grip on the two girls, each hand holding a wrist tight enough that it probably hurt. But the man didn't care. Dragging them faster than their feet could keep up he rushed to the top of the structure that was crumbling beneath them. 'Not much time.'

Will and Taranee still couldn't believe their eyes. Both had thought the man had been gone for good.

Seconds later and they stood outside the structure, facing the slaughter all around them. Will and Taranee had never seen so much death in one area and could only stare at the many dying or already dead bodies of dragons that littered the area.

When they saw purple rain fall from the sky they had no idea what was going on.

"SHIT," cursed Raven as he too noticed the strange 'weather'. Turning his head he drew a deep breath, **"Iejir'ghulsvetch!" **The guttural cry filled their sensitive ears and both girls winced at the volume. Moments later and the large red dragon from before had appeared next to the falling structure.

"Si mi tenpiswo. thric rigluin ekess etrerzz." [Draconian: I am here. No need to shout.]

"Don't sass me! Look at the sky and then get us the fuck out of here!" Letting go of their wrists Raven turned on the spot and without as much as a thought threw the two girls over his shoulder like sacks of rice. Ignoring their shrieks he leaped off the falling maze and landed on the back of the dragon who quickly started to fly away from the area.

Will stared at the scenery before her as she saw something unfold that made the breath stop. She could see how one of those rain drops hit the area they had been standing on just seconds ago and it suddenly exploded into a twisting dome of purple mass. She could feel the arcane tingle and instantly knew that this was the work of another Warlock.

Letting her gaze travel she saw that each drop of 'rain' that touched something exploded into another dome of Eldritch Might. She could only watch in morbid fascination as she saw one of them hit the dead body of a dragon. Instantly blood sprayed everywhere and when the dome vanished she could see that the area of impact was torn asunder by the magical force, rend to bits.

All over the area the same happened as the few remaining humanoids swiftly dove for cover as they saw the first example of what this power did to flesh.

In a matter of minutes the rain of death had painted the ruins of the stadium blood red with guts.

The buildings all around the former stadium had also been hit by the falling bodies of dead dragons.

The center of the city... was a wasteland...

-Destiny commands All-

That's it for tonight.

Some of you may be disappointed due to the shortness as well ass the sub-standard quality in some parts but as I said before, it is the best I can offer you right now.

A note on all the named people no one has seen before: they are all existing characters from the _Baldur's Gate_ and _Neverwinter Night_ serieses. All of them excelent and epic games using 2nd through 3.5 Edition rules. Especially _Baldur's Gate_ has an EPIC and FANTASTIC story even though it is over 10 years old by now. Some of the 'older' gamers may already know them and let me tell you: this sorry made me dig up the old disks again and emerge myself back into Abeir-Toril.

Sorry for the geek rant. Anyway, those people, while some may show again through the story, are in no sense there to stay. They are there to... give you a taste to what our little girly army may be capable of in the end.

Some may not like it but Yes, Raven is back. And he is back to stay for a long while. Some people when I asked for oppinions said that they didn't like how close he was with Will but I hope by now you will see that I am taking a rather... liberate approach with a lot of things. This will show even more in the next chapter which will have a shit-load of talking and explaining.

So, another thing worthy of mentioning: you may have noticed that I translated nearly everything that was spoken in a foreign language except for a few words here and there. The reason is that either a) it would have badly broken up the story and b) spoiled A LOT of things that are to happen later on. So it's my way of a "spoiler warning".

Now, I bid you all a good day/night/afternoon/whatever and I hope to get back to you sooner than this time.

- Nelo_Akuma


	24. Author Rant

Greetings everyone.

Sadly this is no chapter but an update on my current situation. If you don't want to read everything here is the 'tl;dr' version:

Writer's block, life's a bitch, not abandoned.

If you are still sticking around you want to know more about my reasons and you shall have it.

First thing that delayed the posting of a new chapter was simply life being to hectic. I am in my mid-twenties and some people may know what that means; for those who are too young to know, be it in mind or body, it means having to balance work, education, family, loved ones and free time; and the time for the later three sadly becoming less and less as the day is overtaken by the first two. With lot less time on my hands came the issue that I am a writer who gets motivated by reading other peoples' work; it shows me new heights to aim for and opens up new paths in my mind for stories to shape. Also if I don't have new stuff to read in a fandom I want to write it... my mind slowly becomes a dry well, devoid of inspiration. Doesn't help that I left this story simmer at such an important point of the story with what by now I consider a cliffhanger of doom.

To make a long story short, I grew a bit tired of the WITCH universe. Not of the characters themselves or how I have shaped them in my own interpretation but the... 'setting' has become somewhat stagnant. I decided for myself I would take a couple of steps backward, examine my work over time, do some tweaking here and there and this way get my inspiration up and running again. Sadly that plan didn't work out so well. While I was able to find the bad spots so to speak and iron them out with some retcons it did nothing good to my creativity. That was about November/December last year and that ties into the next reason inspiration became a rarity.

December last year gave birth to a spawn that held me captive for a few months with nearly every waking minute of my free time. Some may have done the numbers by now but let my come straight out: I got addicted to Star Wars: The Old Republic. I had always been a great fan of the Old Republic setting and my personal favorite Star Wars character of all time is goddamned Revan so I was hoping for closure to the story started by KOTOR 1 and 2. Maybe the word 'addicted' was badly chosen since an addiction is normally something you cannot shake off alone, which I managed to do after a while. Let's used the word 'obsessed' since I tend to do that with projects or things at times.

Once I got rid of that... my mind was abuzz with ideas. Yes, they were once more for the WITCH-girls but NOT for this story. It was a new idea, a new story that had carved its hooks into my mind and wouldn't let go. Thinking that 'doing some writing was better than doing no writing' I started a new project that lasted for a week or two. Didn't produce enough to be called a story but also more to be called snippets so they are still collecting dust on my backup hard drive. After dumping that idea a new thing happened that postponed this further.

I was in a state of mind where I was simply too tired to do anything after work besides gaming and doing a bit of chatting here and there. Gaming then got replaced by watching old cartoons, animes and acquiring new ones to watch. One of those turned out to be the Star Wars: The Clone Wars series which drove its hooks into me with a vengeance. After pulling several all nighters I had watched all episodes at that time and it revitalized an idea that had lain dormant for many many months. Once more it involved the girls from WITCH as main characters but with a massive change before throwing them into the timeline of The Clone Wars series. This was a project that is still going and one I plan to see through to the very end even if it kills me. I even went out of my way and found a professional artist that does awesome work to do paid commissions for me. (Google for a guy named 'Galefire', aka Michael Rookard, if you are interested into seeing some of his work. Two of my pieces should already be up but I will not point them out.)

While all the above was happening there was this... movement on about bringing the banhammer down on M-rated stories or works that went too far. I am sure most of the 'veterans' know what I am talking about and the uproar from authors that followed the announcement. That also was a large factor to my mind and I started looking into alternatives for posting my works on the internet. What I found did not please me and I was still unsure if the banhammer would come down on me. That has not happened yet but I am still looking for new places to post my works that provide most of the same features I have grown used to over the years I have spent on . I have not kept up with the news for reason above and below but I am still hesitating to keep posting here.

On top of that I had to move thanks to work reasons. I am not going to bore you with even more long-winded explanations but let me say that I had to move from the western end of my country to the eastern end, leaving my family and loved ones behind. I have not seen any of them except one in over seven months and it has been weighting on me. Now it seems like I may not be even able to see them over the coming holidays. If it weren't for my logical side telling me to soldier on or the last two years would have been worthless, I would have told everyone to fuck themselves and left this damned city behind.

Then finally I was victim of a serious theft spree where I am currently living which meant all my electronics stolen and countless mementos gone as well. I am still in a lawsuit about getting my valuables replaced which is also cutting into my soul with a vengeance. Since I am not made of money I have yet to replace my lost electronics which means that for over three months I have had hardly any contact to my loved ones and with some no contact at all.. For someone who is normally really dependent on the support of others this is like taking away a junkies' drugs. Even now I can only type this out because I am hijacking a PC at work which could get me into a lot of trouble. One would think I would be using this chance to contact my loved ones instead of writing a wall of text to people who hardly know me but... with the security measures of my work network I cannot contact my loved ones in the usual fashion.

I guess I simply needed an outlet to vent and this was one of the very very limited routes available to me right now.

So all in all I have been having a really bad time the past half year that has been slowly chipping away at me. I said it in the past but I will say it again: I don't plan on letting this piece of work die after how much preparation I have put into it. I cannot say when it will be continued or even when the retconed chapters will come up but... as soon as life calms down and I can think straight again without wanting to murder a whole family of kittens I want to get back to writing.

I hope that I could explain my reasoning and situation to some of you. I know that many will be cross with me for posting this instead of simply shutting up and the posting a real chapter but... after over a year I felt I owed you at least something.

So with these lines I bid you farewell and goodbye for now. Hopefully I will be back soon with better news.

- Nelo Akuma


End file.
